One Snowy Christmas Eve
by 554Laura
Summary: An AU story set in Season 2. Booth and Brennan meet again after being apart for a while. I don't own Bones.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: THE ITALICIZED WORDS IN THIS STORY ARE FROM A SONG BY DAN FOGLEBERG: SAME AULD LANG SYNE. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. I LOVE THE SONG, AND IT WOVE ITSELF INTO THIS LITTLE STORY._

 _Met my old lover at the grocery store._

 _The snow was falling, Christmas Eve…._

"Dammit!" Booth took everything out of the small freezer compartment of his vintage refrigerator. "I know I had some ice cream in here...where the hell is my ice cream? Ah…there it is…" He pulled the carton out of the freezer and opened the lid. "Empty? Great….just great." He heaved a deep sigh as he looked at the clock on the stove. "8:30. God, I hope the market is still open. I promised Parker ice cream with his pie. Why'd I wait until the last minute?" Booth hurriedly pulled on a jacket over his tee shirt and jeans as he grabbed his keys and phone. It was already getting late on Christmas Eve, but he wasn't about to go back on his word to his son. Parker was coming over to have lunch and open his gifts on Christmas afternoon, and Booth wanted everything to be perfect.

He pushed the snow off the windshield and started his car. It had been snowing heavily when Booth left the Hoover, and at the time he'd been glad that he didn't have to make any stops on the way home. "Yeah, right...I wish I had known earlier today I didn't have ice cream."

He tried the corner market near his apartment but it had already closed, so he realized he'd have to go all the way over to Priceco. He exhaled slowly….maybe Parker would understand if there wasn't any ice cream. Traffic had slowed to a crawl as drivers tried to navigate streets that were rapidly becoming snow packed. Frustrated, Booth pounded on the steering wheel. He'd been so distracted lately...out of sorts, and now this. He quickly dismissed those thoughts. No excuses. Get the ice cream and get home.

The Priceco's snow covered parking lot was nearly empty. "Most people are probably at home with their families, " Booth thought. "Most people are smart enough to go to the store before 8:30 on Christmas Eve." He knew he was feeling sorry for himself...he'd been invited to share Christmas Eve with several friends, but it wasn't the same...it wasn't family. He gave himself another pep talk. "Okay, Booth...enough. Let's get the ice cream and go home."

He turned his collar up and hurried into the store, and then stopped for a minute when he got inside to watch the snow through the store windows. Big flakes were fluttering through the air, caught by the cold arctic blast. "I might not make it to Mass tonight if this keeps up….", he thought sadly. Christmas Eve Midnight Mass was his favorite service of the year, and he'd probably have to miss it. "Damn snow...who gives a damn about a white Christmas anyway.", he grumbled. "I guess I'd better hurry and get what I need or I'll be stuck here…."

He quickly walked to the frozen food cases, looking for the ice cream section. He rounded the corner when it hit him...the scent of a familiar perfume. It washed over him like a tidal wave. He turned quickly and saw a tall, willowy figure standing in front of the frozen vegetable case. No...it couldn't be...

 _I stole behind her in the frozen foods,_

 _And I touched her on the sleeve…_

He walked quietly toward the woman, wanting to make sure it was really who he thought it was. He didn't want to startle her, but...he coughed quietly as he reached out and gently tapped her on the shoulder. "Bones?"

She spun around quickly with angry eyes to see who had dared to accost her while she was shopping for frozen vegetables.

 _She didn't recognize the face at first,_

 _But then her eyes flew open wide….._

"Booth! Oh, Booth….I'm so glad to see you!" She laughed as she caught him in an enthusiastic 'guy hug'. "Why are you shopping on Christmas Eve? This isn't like you. Why aren't you celebrating your god's birthday? Shouldn't you be at church? Where's Parker?"

Booth laughed at all the questions. "I was getting ready to ask you the same thing. Why are you here at the Priceco? Shouldn't you be in the Caymans, where it's warmer and a hell of a lot sunnier than it is in DC right now?"

"I'm here at the store because I need food. I just got home from an extended book tour, and I have nothing to eat in my apartment. Since the stores will be closed tomorrow, I needed to come shopping this evening."

"Wait...a book tour? For a new book? What about the Caribbean?" Booth was confused. "I thought you had been in the Caymans with Sully. On his boat, right? Running island fishing trips?" He stood looking at her, scratching the back of his head, trying to figure out what had happened to bring her back to DC.

Brennan pinched her lips into a thin line as she stared at the floor. "I came home from the Caribbean after spending three months there." She looked up at Booth, hoping he didn't figure out the rest, but knowing he would do just that.

"So you've been back in DC for six months now?" The jolt of pain he felt almost knocked the wind out of him. "You've been here all this time, and you never called me? What were you thinking, Bones?" Booth felt like he'd been hit with a sledgehammer. He paused for a few seconds, hoping he could keep the anger out of his voice. "I mean, I'm sorry it didn't work out with Sully, but…you and me, Bones...we're friends. I can't believe you didn't let me know you were back in town."

"Booth...I'm sorry I didn't call you, but I decided not to go back to work at the Jeffersonian when I got home, and I knew how busy you would be with your FBI work, and I didn't want to bother you." She fidgeted with her gloves as she spoke. "I enjoyed being in the Caymans for a few months, but I got bored with simply sailing around on the ocean. Sully is a nice man, but we ran out of things to talk about, and I wanted to do something besides sit on the deck of a boat all day. He and I really don't have much in common after all, although we were compatible sexually. I need my mind to be active and intellectually engaged to maintain a satisfactory relationship." She tried to avoid eye contact with Booth. "So I came home, and I quickly wrote another Kathy Reichs novel. I've been all over the country promoting it. I'm surprised you haven't seen me on television."

Booth stood stiffly in the frozen food aisle, listening to Brennan talk about her failed relationship with Sully, shaking his head in disbelief. "Six months in town and you never called me...Didn't you think I'd want to know if my partner was back? Seriously, Bones….I can't believe this…Jesus.." Booth turned away, embarrassed by the tears he felt springing up in his eyes. "So the only reason I found out was that I happened to see you here…"

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Booth, but I thought you'd be busy with work...and with Cam…" Brennan began looking for something in her purse. Finally she pulled out her phone. "Here's a picture of me on Sully's boat….

 _I said the years had been a friend to her,_

 _That her eyes were still as blue._

 _But in her eyes I wasn't sure_

 _If I saw doubt or gratitude…_

"Yeah, Bones….that's great...you look great." He glanced from the photo to her face, and found himself staring longingly into her deep blue eyes. She did look great...more than great...she was beautiful... "I guess Sully was upset that you left, huh?"

She shrugged sadly. "I don't know. I think in a way he was relieved...We realized we didn't have much in common other than sex, and we both knew we needed more than that...I think he was bored with me. He became impatient with all my questions about things. He said I was too intense...that I needed to relax more, and I tried, but..I just couldn't." The look on her face said it all...she thought she had failed in another relationship...there must be something wrong with her….

"How could Sully be bored? You're a beautiful woman, Bones, and you're incredibly smart...Sure, you're intense, but that's not a bad thing. Maybe he should take things more seriously. You don't need to change a thing to make him happy. I think maybe he was uncomfortable because he realized he didn't really deserve a woman like you…You're too good for a shiftless guy like Sully."

"Booth…" Brennan smiled sadly as she shook her head. "You know that isn't true. I misjudged my feelings for Sully, and I made a mistake when I left with him." She smiled weakly, trying to change the subject. "So how is Cam? She had no lingering ill effects from the poison Epps planted in his dead wife's head, I hope."

"I don't know...she lives in New York City now." Booth shifted from one foot to another, wanting to avoid eye contact with Brennan. "We tried to stay together when she got out of the hospital, but we just couldn't work it out. I guess she got annoyed because I was so overprotective of her, and I worried about her health...and I also wanted more from our relationship. I want someone I can marry and have kids with, but Cam has different plans for her life. She wants to concentrate on her career, so she took a position in New York."

"I'm sorry, Booth. I know that must've been hard for you."

He could see that Brennan was sincere in her sympathy. He shrugged a shoulder, grimacing slightly. "Well, it was a mutual decision, you know, and I've moved on. I guess I always knew that things between us wouldn't amount to anything. You're right about one thing...I have been really busy at work, but I still wish you had called me or had come to see me...maybe you could've helped me solve some of my cases already and I'd have less work to do. Anyway, Parker keeps asking me about you, like when he's gonna see you again...you've made quite an impression on him."

… _.And tried to reach beyond the emptiness,_

 _But neither one knew how…_

"Attention, Priceco shoppers…" The store manager's announcement brought them back to reality. The store would be closing in fifteen minutes.

"Well, I guess I'd better go get the ice cream I came for." Booth paused, nervously rattling his car keys, before choosing to plunge ahead with an invitation. "Hey, Bones...if you're not busy, you're welcome to come have lunch with Parker and me tomorrow. It's nothing fancy, but, you know...if you don't want to be alone on Christmas…"

"Thanks, Booth, but you know I don't celebrate Christmas. It's just another day, and I'm really tired from my trip." She pushed her grocery cart toward the checkout line so she could pay for her items. "I'll talk to you soon, though." She smiled as she recognized the look on his face. "Yes, I promise...I'll call you."

As Brennan paid for her groceries and gathered her bags she saw him waiting for her by the exit. "Same old Booth…", she thought. "Still looking out for me." He walked her out to her car and helped her load her groceries into the trunk.

"Bones, you gotta be careful going home. This little car isn't designed for conditions like this. Maybe you should text me when you get home."

"Really, Booth, I'll be fine. I'm an experienced driver."

"Well...if you get bored while you're in town, I'd love to hear from you, okay? I'm never too busy to talk to you. Never. And don't forget about tomorrow, if you change your mind…we're gonna eat about noon."

"Alright, Booth. Good night."

 _I watched her drive away…_

"Dammit!" Booth stood slumped against his car, pounding his fist on the roof, as he watched Brennan cautiously pull out of the parking lot. "I let her walk away from me again! I can't believe I'm so stupid. All I want is a chance to show her what I really feel...how much I care...that I love her...and instead all I can talk about is ice cream and Cam."

 _...I felt that old familiar pain…_

 _And as I turned to make my way back home_

 _The snow turned into rain…._

Booth stood there in a mix of rain and snow a few minutes more, thinking about a different evening a few years ago when Bones had left him standing in the rain...it seemed she was always leaving him...moving away from him. Maybe some day she'd change direction and move towards him….. He sighed as he cleared his windshield and drove himself home to an empty apartment.

oooooooooo

Booth hurried to finish preparations for Christmas lunch, setting the table and basting the small chicken he had baking in the oven. The green bean casserole was done, the apple pie had been baked and the box of stuffing had been prepared. He glanced at the clock again….Parker would be here any minute.

"There's the doorbell. For once, Rebecca's on time…" He quickly went to answer his door, not even bothering to look through the peephole before pulling it open.

"Bones! Oh, my God...I'm so happy to see you! Come in. Here...let me take your coat...have a seat. Parker will be here any minute." Booth ushered her in, willing himself to be calm, but she looked beautiful. Her sapphire blue sweater was a perfect match for her eyes. "I'm glad you changed your mind and decided to have lunch. You know, I've missed you..." He inhaled sharply, wanting to control himself so he wouldn't appear desperate. This wasn't the right time to spill his guts about his feelings for her.

"Booth….I need to tell you something before Parker gets here." Brennan sat in the armchair studying her shoes and nervously chewing the inside of her cheek. Her eyes were silently pleading for his understanding.

"I hate when you start a conversation like that, Bones. Okay, what is it?" He grinned slightly. "Come on...spill it. What's on your mind?"

"I wanted to apologize for not calling you when I got home six months ago. I didn't call because I was scared that you were still angry at me for leaving with Sully, and then the longer I waited...well, it just made it harder to call. I realized I didn't know what to say that would make things better." Brennan shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "I guess I didn't realize that not calling you would cause you to be angry as well. I didn't realize that would hurt your feelings. I just assumed you'd be too busy for me since I wasn't your work partner any longer, and I thought you were still involved with Cam."

"I wasn't angry when you left, Bones. I told you that you should go with Sully to the Caribbean if you wanted." Booth was lying to himself, and he knew it. He'd been angry and hurt when Bones left with Sully….but maybe she was mad at him for hiding his relationship with Cam. "It's just that I was surprised and upset that I hadn't heard from you, but I guess I'll get over it eventually. You're gonna keep in touch, right? You're not gonna wander off again, are you?" He sat down on the corner of the sofa. "I don't want you to leave again, even if you don't want to go back to work at the Jeffersonian. I can find another partner if I want one, but I can't find another woman like you."

Brennan smiled demurely. "I think I'll stay put for a while. I've been away from you for too long." She reached out to hold Booth's hand.

"Listen, Bones...there's something I wanna tell you…" The doorbell rang.

"DADDY! and Bones! Merry Christmas! Is it time for lunch? Here's your present, Daddy. Did I get presents? Santa came to Mommy's house. Did he come here, too? Guess what? I got Legos, and a video game. Do you like legos, Bones? Daddy, did you get ice cream for the pie? I'm hungry." Parker finally stopped to take a breath, smiling broadly at his father.

"Whoa, there, Buddy….settle down. Yes, it's time for lunch, and then might be a package or two here for somebody named...oh, yeah...Parker Booth!" Booth leaned over and tickled his son. "And guess what? Bones is gonna stay, right, Bones?" He grinned at her as he bounced Parker on his knee. " Isn't that great? Bones is gonna stay with me."

Booth and Brennan smiled at each other as Parker babbled happily about lunch and Christmas presents. Things were going to become very interesting for them in the New Year.

 _THANKS FOR READING MY LITTLE STORY...I HOPE YOU LIKED IT..._


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: SORRY IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO UPDATE...the song I used is JUST ANOTHER DAY BY JON SECADA. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED._

 _I breathe a little faster_

 _Every time we're together_

 _It'd never be the same_

 _If you're not here..._

Booth's alarm went off at 6:30 AM on the morning of December 28, but, if truth be told, he'd been awake for at least an hour. He chuckled to himself. Here he was, a grown man...a badass federal agent...and he was as excited as a 16 year old boy who had a date with the most popular girl at school. As a matter of fact, he remembered being a 16 year old boy who had a date with the most popular girl in school, but what was happening today was even more exciting, and caused no small amount of trepidation. Bones was going to meet him for lunch at the diner today.

He showered and shaved extra close, being careful not to nick himself. A little splash of the good aftershave, a little breakfast, and then it was time to get dressed. He stood at the closet door looking through his shirts and ties. Pops had always accused him of being overly particular about his appearance, but Booth knew that Angela's dad was right: every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man. Important occasions like this called for attention to detail. He picked out his best blue broadcloth shirt, remembering how many times Bones had admired the color, but the problem was which suit to wear. He went back and forth between the navy suit and the gray one. Finally it was time for a reality check. "Jesus, Booth...get dressed already. It's just lunch, not your wedding, and you gotta be at work on time today." He scolded himself as he grabbed the gray suit and the gray tie with the blue stripe. "Get a grip, man...you don't want to come across as desperate and needy, even if you do feel that way." He gave his shoes a wipe down and took one last look in the mirror…."God, you're a handsome devil", he smirked at himself….and off to work he went.

The traffic was bad, but that wasn't what Booth was worried about. He'd spent the morning drive praying to St. Michael and St. George, the patron saints of police officers, and, by extension, FBI agents, hoping he wouldn't have a new case that would cause him to miss his lunch date, with a special note to ask St. Christopher for no car trouble or flat tires. "A guy never can have too many saints on his side for an important date like this one.." So far, the morning was uneventful, if not downright boring. Time dragged by...he checked his phone several times to make sure the office clock hadn't stopped. Finally…11:45 rolled around. He waved to Charlie on the way out. "I'm going to lunch, and I may be a bit late coming back, but I've got my phone if you need me."

"Hey, Booth?...", Charlie started. "Did you see the email that Cullen just sent out?"

"Is the world going to Hell within the next hour and a half, Charlie? Because if not, I'll read it when I get back."

Charlie shook his head as he watched Booth trot through the office toward the elevator. "Okay...yeah...enjoy your lunch…."

oooooooooo

 _...I don't wanna say it_

 _I don't wanna find another way_

 _To make it through the day without you..._

Brennan checked her hair and lipstick in the car's visor mirror one last time before she got out of the car, all the while acknowledging it was a completely irrational thing to do. "I'm having lunch with Booth...he's seen me with messy hair, dirty clothes, and no make up. It doesn't matter what I look like, really. We're friends and we're going to share a meal. That's all it is. It's just lunch at a place I've been several times."

Logic, however, did nothing to calm her nerves. Brennan was aware enough of her own body to realize that her adrenaline responses had kicked in, especially the rapid heart beat. How frustrating it was to have her own body betray her, and all because she was going to have lunch with Booth! She tried to shake off the idea that this was a special occasion as she walked quickly toward the restaurant, but she wasn't successful. Even though she was not normally given to excessive vanity, she paused to look at her reflection in a shop window on the way, and decided that her clothing choices had been acceptable. She was wearing slim black pants, boots with a three inch heel, and a turquoise sweater...a sweater that Booth had commented on several times when she wore it last winter. She tried to convince herself that she'd worn it because of the cool air temperature, and not because he liked it, but deep down she knew she had decided to wear it to get his attention. "Using my feminine wiles to get Booth to notice me….shame on me.", she laughed to herself. "I hope it's worth the effort to do so."

Brennan had missed Booth terribly while she was in the Caymans. She'd been gone a little less than two weeks when she realized she had made a terrible mistake leaving DC, but she tried to make the best of things. Sully wasn't a bad person...he just wasn't what Brennan wanted or needed. He just wasn't Booth. Finally, Brennan had to face the truth...she was making herself and Sully unhappy by staying with him in the Caymans when she really just wanted to go back home. Sully didn't put up much of a fight to make her stay….He seemed to know she couldn't be happy sitting around on the deck of a boat with nothing to keep her mind occupied.

"There is no logical reason to be nervous about having lunch with Booth. I'll have a salad like I always do, and Booth will have a hamburger, and maybe I'll steal a few of his fries. We'll have coffee, and Booth will have a piece of apple pie. We'll chat...things will be fine. This is not a momentous occasion...it's a meal. That's all." She chided herself for acting like a silly teenage girl but there was no denying that her heart fluttered a bit when she walked into the diner and saw Booth flashing a charm smile at her.

oooooooooo

 _Making the time_

 _To find the right lines_

 _To make you stay forever..._

 _...Give us a chance to make it..._

Booth looked up as he heard the diner doorbell chime. He truly believed he'd never seen anything more beautiful in his life. "Bones...over here." He gave her a little grin as he waved and she gave him that quirky half smile of hers in return. Inhaling deeply, he tried to calm himself. He knew he had to avoid coming on too strong, or he'd scare her away. "You look great. That sweater looks great on you...the color's perfect for your eyes."

"Thank you, Booth. I think your shirt is a very good color for you to wear." She looked over the diner's menu, hoping that she wasn't blushing under his intent gaze. "I see that the menu hasn't changed since the last time I ate here." Looking up at the waitress, she ordered. "I'm going to have a garden salad and a cup of hot tea."

"Alright." The waitress smiled. "It's good to see you back, Dr. Brennan. Agent Booth has had to eat by himself too long now."

Booth's ears turned bright red as he handed the waitress his menu. "Yeah, great...Thanks, Ellie. I'll have the usual, okay?" Booth handed Ellie the menu and turned back to Brennan. "I haven't had a partner since you've been away…it's just been little ol' me, all by my lonesome." He glanced shyly at Brennan. "So why did you decide against going back to work at the Jeffersonian, Bones? Aren't you bored since you aren't working every day?"

Brennan avoided eye contact with Booth...it was hard to explain, and she was embarrassed. "When I got home, I was planning to ask for my old job back, but I wasn't sure Cam would agree to rehire me...then I conceived a wonderful idea for a novel, and I wrote it very quickly. It was rushed to publication, and I was asked to do a nationwide tour promoting it, so I wasn't home enough to work." She took a sip of her tea and cleared her throat. Looking up at him, she continued softly. "It wasn't because I didn't want to work with you, Booth...I did, but I didn't know if you'd still want to work with me...I thought I might be in the way…"

"IN THE WAY?" Booth realized he had spoken too loudly when the entire lunch crowd turned to look at him. "In the way? How could you ever think you'd be in the way, Bones? You're my partner…you'll always be my partner, and you'll never, ever be in the way…."

Brennan paused as the waitress delivered their meals. "I didn't mean professionally, Booth….I meant between you and Cam. I didn't know how she would feel about us being partners...I thought it might be awkward, and I'd be uncomfortable…Angela said Cam was jealous of our friendship, but I'm not sure why Cam would feel that way."

Booth knew Cam was jealous of Bones...their last argument had been about that very subject. "Look, Bones...it doesn't matter if I'm dating someone else or not...you're my partner, and you never have any reason to feel uncomfortable about that situation, okay?" Booth paused as he realized what he said. _Dating someone else? Me and my big mouth..._ "And since Cam doesn't work at the Jeffersonian any more, I think you should go back to work there, and we can partner up again. C'mon...whaddya say? Partners again? It would be fun, right?"

"Do you think I'd have to do all the administrative work like Cam did? I'm not sure I'd enjoy that aspect of the job. I think I'd rather be out in the field working on cases instead of behind a desk."

"I bet the Jeffersonian can find someone to fit the bill on the administration side if you don't want to be stuck in the lab. Please tell me you're at least gonna go talk to Goodman and see what you can work out. Please consider being my partner again…" He gave her a charming grin.

Brennan nodded as she listened...Booth could be very persuasive. it would be fun and interesting to be partners with Booth again, out in the field, helping him solve crimes…. but she also wanted to guard her heart. She knew it would only be a matter of time before Booth had another new girlfriend, and things would be awkward between them again. That would too hard to deal with… Her musings were interrupted as Booth's phone rang.

"Booth…shit...really? Okay, well, we just got our lunch. We'll be there in about forty minutes...yeah...they can go ahead and start...yeah...okay...yeah….see you then...bye." Booth sighed heavily and gave Brennan a small smile as he put his phone away. "They found a body out in the goddamn middle of nowhere and want me to come take a look at it." He took a bite of a french fry and then used it to point at her. "Hey...I've got an idea...if you're not working on anything today, why don't you come with me, you know? Just for fun? For old times sake?" Booth was pulling out all the stops in his plea. He even pulled out the sad puppy eyes….

Knowing she was beaten,Brennan nodded as she ate a bite of salad. "Okay….I guess I can ride along, but don't get your hopes up, Booth. I'm not going to be your new partner."

"Okay, I'll remember that." Booth knew he'd already won...Bones wouldn't be able to resist getting out of the SUV and sticking her nose into the remains…she'd be his partner again in no time. "Well, let's eat up so we can get out there before the techs mess with your remains….I mean, the remains." He chuckled as he corrected himself. "Thanks for meeting me for lunch, Bones….you have no idea how much I've missed this."

oooooooooo

The SUV came roaring to a stop about 15 yards from the area where several police cars were parked around an area marked off by yellow crime scene tape. Booth hopped out and came around to the passenger side of the car so he could open the door for Brennan, but she was out of the car easily and was waiting for him. "I'm not really dressed to work out here, Booth…especially my boots..."

"That's okay...you wait here, and I'll go see what's going on…" Booth grinned to himself, knowing very well that Brennan would be following close at his heels. "Easy there, Bones. It's kinda muddy here." He offered her a hand which she waved off. Booth turned to a well dressed man as the local police official walked away. "What's the story?"

"Well...same old story...body dump...how's it goin', Booth?"

"I don't believe this….Sully? What the hell….What are you doing here? Booth stood in shock as he watched Sully walk toward Brennan, ignoring his question.

"Hey, Tempe...you look great. I guess this climate agrees with you, huh? Better than the Caribbean, I guess." Sully threw his arm around her and gave her a squeeze before turning back to Booth. "Hey...did you say something? I musta missed it." Brennan moved out from under Sully's arm and stepped away from him.

Booth was furious. "I said what the hell are you doing here? I thought you'd quit the FBI…"

"Nah...I was just on leave without pay. I decided to come back to work right here in DC. Didn't you get Cullen's email?"

"What email?"

"I'll take that as a no….Well, surprise!….I'm gonna be your new partner…."

"Like Hell you are…" Booth turned back and looked at Brennan. "Did you know about this? Is this some sort of sick joke?"

She shook her head as she looked at Sully. "No...he didn't say anything to me about this…"

Sully sauntered back to where Booth was standing. "New rules...all field agents have a partner for safety reasons. Cullen thought we'd make a fine team." Glancing back at Brennan, Sully continued. "Since I didn't have anyone on the boat with me, I got bored, so I came back to work. What's the matter, Booth?" Sully cast an appreciative eye towards Brennan again. "Worried about the competition?"

oooooooooo

... _I don't wanna say it..._

 _I don't wanna find another way_

 _To make it..._

Brennan sat quietly listening to Booth bluster and rage all the way back into town. "I don't need that jackass Sully for a partner. Safety, my ass. That bastard couldn't figure out what he wanted to do for a living, and they think he's gonna make me safer? No way...the shit's gonna hit the fan. Wait 'til I see Cullen. I'm gonna tell him a thing or two….."

"Are you through, Booth?" Brennan glanced over at Booth. His jaw was clenched and his hands were wrapped tightly around the steering wheel as he stared straight ahead.

"What do you mean...am I through….I'm just getting warmed up. Just wait 'til I see Cullen….wanting me to work with the guy who stole my partner from me."

"I think you should reconsider your plan to yell at Director Cullen, Booth." Brennan looked out the side window as she continued. "I think you'll regret it. Cullen most likely thinks he's done you a favor, partnering you with Sully."

"Cullen knows you're my partner, and I don't need anyone else."

"Director Cullen doesn't know I've returned from the Caymans unless Sully told him, and I don't work for the Jeffersonian any more, so I'm in no position to be your partner right now. Cullen thinks you and Sully are friends, so you'll work well together."

"We were friends. I mean, I always thought Sully was a great guy, and then….well, you know...he convinced you to leave."

"Sully didn't steal me away, Booth. I went of my own accord, but he wasn't the one who convinced me to leave. You were."

"What? I did not!"

"Remember? We were standing in the cemetery as that body was being exhumed, and I told you that Sully wanted me to go with him. I asked you what you thought. Do you remember what you said?"

Oh, God…"I said you should go so you could live large….but I didn't really want you to go...I was trying to be supportive."

"I thought you told me that because you wanted me to leave...because I was in the way. If I left with Sully, Cam would be happy, and that would make you happy."

"Wait...you thought I wanted you to leave? NO...no, I wanted you to stay….It hurt so bad when you left.."

"You said it was okay, and you were fine…" Brennan shifted in her seat slightly to look at Booth. "That's what you told me. You thought I should go with Sully. What was I supposed to think?"

"I guess I thought you should be able to read my mind, and then you'd know it was killing me when you decided to leave. God, I missed you so much….I wanted you to be happy, and I thought Sully made you happy. That's why I told you to leave...not because I wanted you gone."

They rode in silence for a few minutes, trying to sort out their conversation.

"I'll call Dr. Goodman tomorrow, Booth. It may take a few weeks, but I believe I can get my old job back, and if a change in partners can be worked out, I'd be willing to be your partner again."

Booth heaved a huge sigh of relief. "Thanks, Bones."

"You know you don't have to worry about the competition, right?"

"What?"

"You know….What Sully said back there? The competition? You've already won…" Brennan smiled demurely as she looked out the window.

Booth broke into a huge grin as he realized what she meant. "I think you're right, Bones. By the way….what are you doing New Year's Eve?"

... _To make it..._

I HOPE YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER...MORE SOON.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Many thanks to Penandra, who suggested the first song, What Are You Doing New Year's Eve by Frank Loesser. The second song is Where and When by Rodgers and Hart. No copyright infringement intended...**

 _Maybe it's much too early in the game_

 _But I thought I'd ask you just the same_

 _What are you doing New Year's Eve….._

"I don't understand, Booth...why do people become so excited about New Year's Eve?" Brennan sat across from Booth at their favorite table in the diner, gesturing with her toast to make her point. "It doesn't have any religious connotations that I can tell. It mainly seems like an excuse for people to drink excessively, get dressed up in fancy clothes, wear silly hats, and do things they normally wouldn't do." She took a sip of her tea. "Is it supposed to be a continuation of the Christmas holiday?"

"What?" Booth was grinning like a fool as he ate his bacon and eggs. He was ecstatic that Bones had called him and asked him to join her for breakfast at the diner. He hadn't really been listening...he was too busy thinking about how beautiful she was. Finally he realized that she had asked him a question. "Oh yeah...Well, it kind of has a religious meaning, because it's in the middle of the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany."

"Epiphany? Why would your church celebrate the sudden realization of an idea or of knowledge? That doesn't make any sense…" Brennan wrinkled her nose and shook her head at such a silly thought. "They might as well celebrate imagination or serendipity."

Booth sighed and rolled his eyes. Even though he loved Bones with all his heart he had to admit that sometimes she could be difficult, especially if her mind was made up on a subject. "In this case, the Epiphany they're celebrating is the idea that the Christ came to be revealed to the Gentiles as well as the Jews, so that we can all become God's chosen people." He smiled to himself, remembering his boyhood confirmation classes. Brother Thomas would've been so happy that he actually remembered that part of the catechism…

"Oh, I see. So that's why people drink too much on New Year's Eve? Because a god was revealed to them?" Brennan laughed to herself, hoping to get a rise out of Booth. It was certainly fun to see him get so flustered as he explained all of his silly superstitions to her.

"Okay, look, Bones...getting drunk is just one part of what some people do. There's a lot of other things, too. I tell you what...what did you decide about tomorrow night? Are you going out with Sully?" _Please say no...please say no...please say no._ "He asked you to go to a party with him, right?"

"He did, but I declined. I'm not convinced that continuing a relationship with him is a good idea, Booth. I really think all we have in common is that we're very compatible sexually."

 _Good...I think…_ "So if you're not going out, why don't you come over to my apartment for dinner tomorrow evening? I'll make us some spaghetti with marinara sauce...meatless, of course…" Booth winked at Brennan…"and we can watch a football game, or maybe a movie...and then we can maybe welcome the New Year. What'dya think?"

 _Maybe I'm crazy to suppose_

 _I'd ever be the one you chose_

 _Out of a thousand invitations_

 _You've received…_

Brennan considered the invitation carefully. "Don't you want to go out to a party, Booth? I thought Director Cullen said that the FBI was sponsoring a dinner and dance at a venue downtown. That was the party Sully wanted me to attend with him."

Booth shrugged as he shook his head. "Nah...I get to see those guys all day at work. I'm not sure I wanna see them when I'm supposed to be having fun. Anyway, I thought maybe we could watch part of the bowl game that's gonna be on….you know….football…"

Smiling coyly, Brennan ate another bite of toast. "I'm not sure why I'd have to come to your house when my kitchen is much bigger and easier to cook in."

Booth rolled his eyes at her again. "Do you have a television, Bones? No, you don't...so if we're gonna watch a game we have to be at my place. My kitchen is big enough to cook in…"

"Will you be able to explain the rules of football this time so that they make sense, Booth? If I remember correctly, last time we watched a game you became quite frustrated with me…I still don't understand why an attempt to move a ball across a field is called a down...the terminology of the game is very confusing."

"I think I was frustrated because the Eagles were playing so badly, not because you didn't understand the game." Booth laughed at the memory of trying to help Bones understand football. "I'll study up on it so I can explain better, okay? I guess if you'd prefer, we could watch a movie instead...I can rent a couple. So we can have a nice meal, a beer or a glass of wine, and enjoy watching the New Year come in at midnight." Booth smirked as he scooped up a bite of his eggs. "So maybe you should tell me what your New Year's resolutions are." It was his turn to try to get a rise out of Bones.

"Why would I make resolutions? That would imply that I have things that I need to improve on, and you know I'm the best in my field…" Brennan's forehead creased a bit as she thought about making resolutions. "Oh, I understand...you mean for personal improvement...I don't do that. Do you?" She tried to figure out what Booth would resolve to do…

"I don't make resolutions about getting exercise or drinking less coffee or anything like that...mostly I just try to make peace in my mind about things that happened in the previous year so I can move on to the present year."

"That makes a lot of sense, Booth." Brennan drained her tea cup and chuckled softly. "Dr. Goodman says it may take as long as six weeks until I can be reinstated as your partner again. Maybe you should resolve to be nice to Sully since he may be your partner longer than you wish…"

"Ha Ha. Very funny. So...tomorrow night? Seven?"

"Okay...tomorrow night. I'll bring a salad. Do we need silly hats and noisemakers?" Brennan grinned at Booth. "Don't you have some sort of silly beer hat?"

"It's not silly...it's functional. Just bring the salad, okay? Hey, thanks for breakfast, Bones…" He looked into her blue eyes again and wished they could have breakfast together every morning in a home they shared together. He was going to make that happen...that would be this year's resolution. "See you tomorrow night." He lingered a minute, not wanting to leave, but realizing he had to go to work. "Bye."

Brennan nodded. "Seven tomorrow evening. Good-bye, Booth." Smiling, she turned to leave. It appeared that this New Year's Eve would be very satisfactory….

 _But in case I stand one little chance_

 _Here comes the jackpot question in advance_

 _What are you doing New Year's Eve?_

oooooooooo

Booth flipped through the papers in the file on their most recent case, trying to concentrate, but it was difficult. All he could think about was what he had to do after work. He needed to pick up some things at the grocery store for his marinara sauce, and he wanted to rent some movies in case the football game wasn't interesting. He pulled a pen out of his drawer and started making a list of things he needed until he was interrupted by his partner's voice.

"Booth?"

"Oh, hey, Sully...what's up?" Booth was feeling much friendlier towards Tim Sullivan since Bones wasn't going with him to the FBI New Year's Party. "Got some more information about our case?"

"Yeah...It looks like cause of death was being run over by a car." Sully came in and sat down, handing a file to Booth. "That area of the park where the body was found is used by off road enthusiasts. It's gonna be hard to figure out which set of tire tracks match those present on our victim, but the squints at the Jeffersonian are gonna give it a go." Sully sat for a minute chewing his lip as he watched Booth look through the file. "Hey….Are you going to the FBI party tomorrow evening?"

Booth shook his head. "Nah...I'm gonna stay in, watch the game, you know...take it easy." Booth smiled to himself as he asked the next question. "What about you? You takin' Bones to the party?"

"I asked her if she wanted to go, but she said no….she already had other plans." Sully sighed heavily. It seemed like he needed some more 'guy advice' from someone who knew Brennan well. "I don't know what I did wrong, Booth, but I think Tempe's giving me the old brush off. I thought she'd be happy to see me, but…"

"But she wasn't?" Booth shrugged his shoulders, trying not to laugh out loud. "Oh well...you know what they say...win some, lose some."

"I guess...I'm still surprised Tempe didn't like living on the boat when we were in the Caribbean...she gets bored really easily, I guess, and when she's bored, she's irritable. It seems she's only happy if she's working on something difficult. She has a hard time relaxing...it's like she has to be serious all the time. She's intense, you know?"

"She is definitely intense, but that's because she's so smart, I think...her mind just keeps spinning out thoughts constantly. If she didn't have anything to do, she'd be unhappy."

"Well, there were lots of physical activities, like swimming and fishing, but she said she needed to keep her mind busy...she needed things to think about. I don't know...It's hard to say what kind of guy she might like, but I guess it wasn't me…."

"That's too bad, Sully...I'm sorry it didn't work out." Booth commiserated. _Okay...that was a blatant lie...but it sounds good, right?_ He tried hard not to look pleased at Sully's disappointment over his failed relationship with Bones, but he felt sure he wasn't entirely successful at hiding his grin.

"Yeah, thanks, Booth. Okay...I'm gonna call the Jeffersonian and see if they have any new information for me. I'll talk to you in a few days."

"Right. Have a good holiday." Booth chuckled softly as he watched Sully leave, wondering what Sully would think if he knew what Bones was doing to celebrate the New Year. He turned to his computer and tried to scold himself about his behavior. "Yep. Maybe I'm being an arrogant jerk, but, Jesus...I'm so glad Bones is spending New Year's with me instead of Sully."

oooooooooo

Brennan stood looking at her reflection in the full length mirror attached to closet door. She had been to Booth's apartment many times to work on case notes, but this felt different. She smoothed the dark green sweater over her jeans again, wondering if her attire was appropriate to the occasion. "You're just going to have some spaghetti with Booth….it's not the White House, Brennan." Still, she knew her body well enough to know that her heart rate elevated slightly whenever she thought about being at Booth's apartment tonight. She'd noticed a slight change in his attitude toward her since Sully had returned to work at the FBI. "Booth's always been an alpha male, but now….now he's acting territorial...hmm…" Brennan cringed a bit when she realized that she liked territorial Booth, especially if she was considered part of his territory. However, being an anthropologist, she also realized that she'd be territorial around Booth if she thought her claim on him was being threatened….

Grabbing her coat, purse and the salad, she tried to shake off the giddy feeling she had about sharing a meal with Booth. "In reality it's just another day and just another meal….."

ooooooooo

Booth bustled around the kitchen, setting the plates on the counter as he stirred the sauce. He'd gotten a late start on the meal. "Damn video store…." It seemed that everybody thought renting movies was a good way to spend New Year's Eve. Then there was the problem of what to choose….Bones didn't watch movies that often, but Booth knew she loved John Wayne, so he'd picked _The Quiet Man_ and _Rio Bravo,_ and then, a whim, he picked up _When Harry Met Sally._ "Yeah...that might be pushing it a little...we'll see how it goes." He was nervous...Bones had been to his apartment many times, but this was different somehow….

Booth wiped the marinara sauce spills from the counter and rushed to change his shirt, running to answer the doorbell as it rang. "Hiya, Bones…"

 _It seems we stood and talked like this before,_

 _We looked at each other the same way before,_

 _But I can't remember where or when…_

It took a few minutes for the feeling of awkwardness to wear off between Booth and Brennan. Both of them realized something was different, but they couldn't name it, exactly. Soon, however, they were laughing and talking like they always had...enjoying the food, enjoying the friendship, but seeing things through a slightly different lens.

 _The smile you're smiling you were smiling then,_

 _But I can't remember where or when…._

When the meal was over, Brennan carried the dishes to the sink and began to load the dishwasher. It was such a normal thing to do, but for Booth...for Booth it was like a vision of what kind of life they could have together….as a couple...partners at work and in life.

"What are you doin', Bones?" Booth laughed as he joined her in his tiny kitchen. "I don't expect you to wash the dishes at my house when I invited you for dinner!"

Brennan turned and gave him a radiant smile. "You cooked, so I'll clean up. Next time I cook for you, you can help me clean up. It'll only take a few minutes...I hate leaving dirty dishes in the sink."

"Okay, but let me help you...That's not how you put silverware in the basket, Bones. Everybody knows it goes the other way…"

"What difference does it make, Booth? The forks will still get clean…"

"Well, this is how I do it. Here, hand me that plate….okay, we're done. Let's go see if the game is on…"

ooooooooo

The football game was a dud….even trying to explain the rules to Bones couldn't rescue it. Finally, with the score of 52-7 at the end of the first half, Booth turned to her and asked if she wanted to watch one of the movies he had rented. "Look, Bones...John Wayne...which one do you wanna watch?"

"I like both of them...I've seen them many times. What's that movie about? I've never seen that one…" She pointed to _When Harry Met Sally._

"Oh, that...it's a romantic comedy. You probably wouldn't like it, Bones...it's really not very believable…"

"Why? What's it about?"

"These two old friends who go through all these trials and then they figure out they love each other...hey, wanna listen to some music? Look, I got a couple of new jazz CDs…"

"Don't you want to watch this movie, Booth? It looks interesting…"

"Alright, we can watch it." Booth pushed the movie into the player and pressed the start button. He sat down on the end of the sofa, and motioned for Brennan to join him. "Hey, want some popcorn before we start?"

"No, I don't think so." She sat next to him and leaned into him as he started the movie. Soon Brennan's head was on Booth's shoulder, and his arm was around her as they watched the movie.

 _Something that happened for the first time is happening again,_

 _But I don't remember where or when…_

As the end credits played, Booth patted Brennan's shoulder to wake her up. "Did you like the movie, Bones?"

"I don't know, Booth...I'm not sure it accurately portrayed the feelings people have when dealing with a relationship like that…"

Booth laughed out loud. "Of course it didn't. Romantic comedies are like fantasies, Bones..they aren't documentaries. Hey, look at the time...11:45. Almost midnight. I've got an idea. I've got a Harry Connick, Jr CD...you know...he sang during that movie. I'll play it and we can dance in the New Year, okay?"

Brennan smiled demurely. "I'd like that very much, Booth. I understand now why people enjoy New Year's Eve. It's fun to do different activities in order to stay up until midnight."

Booth shook his head and grinned as he loaded the CD into the player. "I'm glad you're having fun, Bones. C'mere…" He took her in his arms pulled her close as the warmth of the music filled his living room.

 _And so it seems we have met before_

 _And laughed before, and loved before,_

 _But who knows where or when….._

Booth placed one hand in the small of her back, and his other hand was on her shoulder as she rested her hands on his broad chest. He was looking in her beautiful blue eyes as he brushed a strand of her soft hair away from her beautiful face….and the temptation was too great. He tilted her chin up so he could kiss her lips, gently brushing his mouth over hers, and she responded by pulling him close to her and kissing him more insistently. He caressed her gently, running his hands up and down her back as he kissed her again, trying to pull her still closer, feeling her heartbeat against him when he heard it….

…...the distinct click of his front door lock opening. Booth broke free from Brennan, and spun around, flushed but ready to spring upon whoever was breaking into his house. He motioned to Brennan to move away from the door as put his finger to his lips to quiet her. The lock clicked again. Booth picked up a hockey stick from the rack by the door and raised it over his head. The door swung open, and…..

"Booth?"

"Cam?"

"Surprise! Happy New Year…."


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: the song for this chapter is Harry Nilson's "Without You". Please remember this story is AU, so some of the actions of the characters may seem a bit extreme...but that's what makes AU fun..._

 _No, I can't forget this evening_

 _Or your face as you were leaving,_

 _But I guess that's just the way the story goes…._

Booth lowered the hockey stick as he stood gaping at his visitor. "What the Hell….why are you even here, Camille?" He turned his back to her and walked a few paces away before angrily turning to face her again. "I mean, who just shows up unannounced on New Year's Eve? Seriously...did you ever think that I might have plans for this evening?"

Cam casually stepped into the apartment and shrugged off her coat. "You really should check your personal email more often, Booth." She laughed mirthlessly as she threw her coat on a chair. "I sent you a message two weeks ago, remember? I said I wanted you to let me know if you were going to be busy on New Year's Eve, because I was going to be in town and I wanted to return your key. Since I didn't hear from you, I thought you wanted me to come see you." She held the keychain up and then tossed it to him.

"Yeah, I saw the message, but there was a reason I didn't respond, Cam...I didn't want to see you again. You're a smart woman...you should've been able to figure that out. You could've saved yourself a lot of trouble if you had mailed me the key. Maybe you should've called me to make sure you were welcome."

Cam pretended to pout a little bit as she sauntered over to Booth. "I just wanted to surprise you for the holiday, but you don't seem very happy to see me. Now my feelings are hurt. And to think I picked out my outfit just for you…." She did a model twirl to show off her very short, very revealing, and very tight black dress and her 3 inch stiletto heels. "Do you like it?" Cam realized that Booth wasn't paying attention to her and she turned to see what was distracting him.

"Oh...I get it now...you have company, don't you? Naughty boy...did you forget I wanted to spend the evening here?" Cam smiled and arched her eyebrow as she nodded at Brennan. Picking up the empty wine glass from the coffee table, Cam turned back to Booth. "Wine and jazz...you sure know how to entertain a lady. Are you having a good time this evening, Dr. Brennan?"

Brennan blushed furiously as she quickly found her jacket and purse. She stammered a bit as she put her jacket on and checked her purse for her keys. "I need to be going anyway, Booth...it's late…" She avoided looking at Cam as she moved toward the door. "I'll get my salad bowl later. Thanks for the spaghetti…and everything else...it was fun."

"Everything else?" Cam smirked as she turned toward Booth. "You've been busy tonight, haven't you, Seeley?"

Ignoring Cam, Booth moved in front of the door to keep Brennan from leaving. "Bones, wait. You don't need to go right now. Cam's not staying…" He put his hand on Brennan's arm to stop her but she pulled away. "Come on, Bones...please stay…"

 _You always smile but in your eyes_

 _Your sorrow shows….yes, it shows..._

"I can't stay. I really have to go...I'm tired." Brennan smiled weakly as she turned back to Cam. "Nice to see you again, Dr. Saroyan. Happy New Year. Good night." She held her hand up to interrupt Booth's protests. He could tell she was struggling to control her emotions, and he reached out to hug her. "No...please don't. I'm not going to stay. Good bye, Booth." She darted out the door before he could stop her.

Booth stepped out into the hall, hoping to keep her from leaving, but she was already gone. He angrily came back into his apartment and slammed the door. He picked up his phone to make a call. "Come on, Bones….pick up...please pick up...DAMN IT." Ignoring Cam's laughter, he tried to call Brennan again, pacing the room as he waited for her to answer her phone. "Bones...I need to talk to you...call me as soon as you get this...please…"

"Really, Booth? Begging? From what I can remember, you wanted to be the one who made someone beg…" Cam laughed again as he tried to call Brennan once more. "She obviously doesn't want to talk you right now. She's an intelligent woman. She knows she can't compete with me." Cam tried to put her arms around Booth's neck but he moved out of her reach as he put his phone to his ear. "Oh come on, Booth...you know you want me...I always help you burn off that excess heat that comes from working with Dr. Brennan, don't I? Remember that case with the dead guy dissolved in the bathtub? She had you all hot and bothered, talking about outlets for satisfying your biological urges, but who actually helped you get over your 'frustration'? And you loved every minute of it when I 'helped' you…I think I 'helped' you two or three times that evening."

"Yeah, but giving into those urges turned out to be a mistake, didn't it?" Booth collapsed onto the sofa and sighed as he rubbed his hand over his eyes. "That does pretty much sum up our relationship, doesn't it, Cam? Sex partners...when one of us was horny, the other one helped take the edge off. But that's all it was, wasn't it? Did you ever love me? Because I'm not sure I actually ever loved you….not like that. We were good friends, and we should've left it at that..."

"Don't give me that shit, Seeley. You enjoyed the sex as much as I did. I don't understand why it has to be anything more than that…" She sat down next to him and looping her arm through his, grabbed his hand. "Remember the night after Brennan took off with Sully, and you were so angry with her? Who helped you calm down? Who dried your tears and helped you forget all about her?" Cam leaned over to whisper in Booth's ear. "Hot, angry sex with you is simply sensational...she doesn't know what she's missing…God, I'm getting all wet and tingly just thinking about that night..." She ran her fingernails down his chest and drew circles on his shirt above his nipple. "C'mon...you know you like it that way...remember?"

Booth pulled his hand away from her. "Stop! It's not gonna happen like that tonight, Camille. I'm not angry at Bones because she left tonight. I am, however, angry at you for barging into my home uninvited. You need to get your things and leave."

Cam stopped running her fingers across Booth's shirt as a new thought suddenly occurred to her, and a sly smile spread over her face. "This is because you've got the hots for Dr. Brennan, isn't it? You're trying to get her into bed with you, and there's no room for me anymore…Do I really have a reason to be jealous of her?"

But Booth wasn't listening. He was trying to call Brennan again. "Bones...please...come on...please call me back…" He hung up and leaned back on the sofa again. How had his evening fallen apart so quickly? One minute he was kissing the woman he loved, and the next minute all Hell had broken loose. He turned to Cam as she continued to talk about Booth lusting after Brennan. "You need to leave, Camille...you need to leave right now." He pointed toward the door. "Now."

"It's after midnight, Booth! Where am I going to find a place to stay at this hour?" She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I can just stay here with you tonight…."

"No...you have to leave. Maybe you should've thought about where you were gonna stay before you showed up here uninvited. I don't care where you go, but you can't stay here. What if Bones decides to come back and you're still here? She's already upset with me…" Booth moved away from Cam and began pacing the floor as he tried to call Brennan again.

"Booth….Are you just angry with me, or are you really in love with Dr. Brennan? And seriously...do you think she can ever love you the way you want her to? She has no concept of how to love someone like that. With her it's all logic, and no emotions." Cam picked up her coat as she walked toward the door. "Don't worry about me. I'll call a cab. I think I can stay with some friends here in town tonight."

Booth continued to ignore her as he left another message for Brennan. "I'll see you before I go back to New York, Seeley." She paused for a few seconds, watching as he continued to pace the room. "Good night, Booth…."

oooooooooo

 _No, I can't forget tomorrow_

 _As I think of all my sorrow_

 _When I had you there and then I let you go…_

Booth lay in his bed on the morning of New Year's Day and stared at the ceiling, trying to decide what to do next. God, things had gone to Hell quickly. He played the scene over and over again in his mind...what if he could've stopped Bones from leaving...maybe he could've convinced her to stay...maybe the rest of the evening would've been as wonderful as the first part of the evening...they were enjoying each other's company...they were dancing, and then he had kissed her and she hadn't pulled away...he knew she had felt something for him….they could be so good together...and then, disaster struck….Cam showed up to crash the party, and Bones ran like a scared little rabbit without giving him a chance to explain….

And now Bones wasn't answering her phone, and it seemed like she wasn't going to call him back even after he'd left what seemed like a hundred messages. Dammit! He'd seen the tears in her eyes last night as she left...he knew she didn't understand that his relationship with Cam was over for good. He had to talk to her…He had to explain everything….

 _I can't live, if living is without you,_

 _I can't live, I can't give any more…._

He sat up in bed and glanced at the clock. Jesus...it was already 10:30. Yawning and stretching, Booth made his way to the shower, hoping to wash away the combination of anger and despair that lingered in his mind. Bones wouldn't be able to avoid him forever. He'd make her listen to him, and then he'd explain everything...he'd make her understand….yeah, like that would work. It was practically impossible to make Bones do something she didn't want to do. Okay, what was plan B? He had to come up with something... Booth pulled on some beat up jeans and a ratty sweatshirt and walked into his living room to clean up after last night's fiasco. The wine glasses were still on the coffee table, and the movies were still sitting there in their cases just waiting to be watched again. He smiled to himself as he remembered Bones snuggled up next to him, softly snoring as he tried to concentrate on _When Harry Met Sally._ It was a good thing he'd seen it before...he'd been distracted by having Bones so close, nestled against him, her soft scent soothing him, her soft hair tickling against his chin… Oh yeah...plan B...maybe he'd camp out on her doorstep and refuse to leave until she'd let him explain….wonderful. Why not just become a stalker?

Booth was startled from his musings by the sound of the doorbell. Great...probably Cam again. He was going to have to be firm...he had to make Cam understand that they were over. Booth shook his head, wondering how he'd ever thought she was the one he wanted. He threw the door open, ready to scold whoever was standing there.

"Bones! Wow, I'm so glad to see you. Please, come in. I've been wanting to talk to you. Listen, about last night…"

She interrupted him. "I just came by to get my salad bowl, Booth. I need it for tonight." Brennan stood in the hall outside the apartment, her arms crossed over her chest. She stared at her shoes as she spoke to him. "I'm in a hurry, so if you could go get it for me…"

"I think it's still in the dishwasher. Come on in, and I'll get it for you." Booth held the door so she could enter the apartment.

"No, thank you. I'll just wait here." Brennan stuck her chin out defiantly. "I'm in a hurry, Booth. Just bring me my bowl."

"Come on, Bones...I don't want to leave the front door open so all the cold air comes in, and I don't want to close the door in your face, either. Just come in for a few minutes while I unload the dishwasher and I'll get your bowl, okay?"

Brennan paused for a few seconds before nodding in agreement. "Alright...but just for a few minutes. I'm going to Angela's house for dinner tonight, and I'm supposed to bring a salad."

"I understand." Booth ushered her in. "Have a seat. I'll just be a few minutes here…" He went into the kitchen and began putting the dishes away. "Hey, listen, Bones...about Cam…"

"Do you have my bowl?" Brennan stood up and moved toward the door.

"Yeah, it's here, but I want to talk to you for a few minutes, okay? Please? Just give me five minutes…" Booth walked over to where Brennan stood and took her hand in his. "I want to tell you something…."

"I need to go, Booth." She avoided Booth's intense gaze. "I have to make a salad for dinner this evening."

"Bones…listen…" He tilted her chin so she was looking at him. "Please…."

"No...I have to go..."

 _And now it's only fair that I should let you know_

 _What you should know…._

"Okay, okay, I know...you have to go. But just listen for a minute. I didn't invite Cam to come over last night. She showed up on her own. I didn't want her here. I wanted to spend my evening with you, not her. We were having fun last night, weren't we? You said you enjoyed yourself, right?"

"Booth...yes, I enjoyed myself, but…"

"Okay then….I want you to know that Cam doesn't mean anything to me. Nothing at all. We never had a real relationship...we were just satisfying biological urges, you know? But you...you're important to me...I care about you, Bones.…"

Brennan pulled her hand away from Booth and shook her head. "I don't want to cause any problems between you and Dr. Saroyan, Booth. She seemed unhappy that I was here with you last night. I think she was jealous…"

"Yeah, maybe she was jealous, but I want you to listen to me for a minute. C'mon...come sit down here." He gestured toward the sofa as he sat down in his chair. Brennan cautiously perched on the edge of the sofa and pinched her lips together. "Okay, Bones...here's the way it is, okay? Cam and I used to date. That's true. But remember I told you we broke up, right? She was just having fun, but I knew I wanted a more permanent relationship with someone...someone I could spend my life with. And now..."

Brennan fidgeted with her bowl as she listened to what Booth was saying. Finally she interrupted him. "Then why is she still pursuing you, Booth? Anthropologically speaking, she's an alpha female, and she's claimed you as part of her territory. I'm not in a position to interfere with that." Brennan rose from the sofa and picked up her purse and the salad bowl. "I have to leave. I have things to do before I go to Angela's this evening."

"No." Booth was growing desperate. Bones was rebuilding the walls around her emotions that he's been trying to dismantle. "You don't understand, Bones. I want you to interfere in that relationship. I want you to claim me as part of _your_ territory. I want to belong to you…"

Brennan brushed a tear off her face as she moved toward the front door. "I don't think that's a good idea, Booth." She inhaled sharply to cover her sob. "I think I'd be more comfortable if we have a strictly professional relationship. Thank you for washing my bowl." And with that, she was out the door before Booth could stop her.

Stunned, he sat on the sofa, trying to decide what to do next. He couldn't believe it...had he really come that close to having the relationship he wanted with her, just to lose her again? That wasn't going to happen. He wasn't going to give up that easily….

 _I can't live if living is without you…_

 _I can't live, I can't give anymore…_

 _Can't live if living is without you…..._

 _Don't worry...things will work out eventually...but it may take a while..._


	5. Chapter 5

_The song I used for this chapter is I AM A ROCK, by Paul Simon. No copyright infringement intended..._

 _I am alone._

 _Gazing from my window to the streets below_

 _On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow…._

 _I am a rock. I am an island…._

The second day of January dawned clear and cold. A light layer of snow lay on the grass like a dusting of powdered sugar glistening in the sun, but Temperance Brennan didn't take as much time to notice it as she normally did. She wanted to get to work early today, away from the prying eyes of her co-workers. She needed to think...she needed time to sort through the emotional static that had invaded her mind. She had decided to spend the morning working down in bone storage to clear her head. Brennan smiled slightly...most people would be horrified at the idea of being stuck in a basement with boxes of old bones, but to her it was relaxing...a quiet place to focus her thoughts as she worked through her problems while studying the long forgotten skeletons.

As she had anticipated, there were very few people in the lab today. Almost everyone had opted to take January 2 off to spend with their families and friends. Brennan was relieved to find that Angela had chosen to stay home as well. Angela had noticed Brennan's sour mood at dinner last night, and had asked many pointed questions in an effort to find the cause. Brennan had managed to deflect most of them, even though several of them hit very close to home. Brennan grimaced as she thought about the discussion from the previous night. Angela had wondered about how dinner at Booth's apartment had been, pressing for all sorts of impertinent details, until Brennan had snapped at her, telling her to mind her own business. Not exactly the way for best friends to act….she knew she needed to call later today with an apology and some sort of explanation.

She carried a plastic storage box of bones to the stainless steel table and began to lay the bones out in the correct anatomical position. The sameness of the procedure had a calming effect on Brennan's swirling thoughts. She nodded to herself. This was where she belonged...away from the confusion of emotions that had chased her throughout her life. She paused for a minute as she looked at the humerus, wondering about the irony surrounding the events of the last few days. She knew she was brilliant...a world class scientist, a best selling author and a highly respected professor. She understood how all the parts of the human skeleton worked together on their own and as a unit, as well as all the intricacies of the bones themselves down to the cellular level. But when it came to understanding her own emotions she was completely lost...what other people thought of as easy and natural, like how to love someone, or how to accept love from someone….those things seemed to be frustratingly beyond her comprehension.

Brennan sighed as she catalogued the bones on the table. This was so much easier….adult male, mid-twenties to mid-thirties, Caucasian, well nourished, with significant damage to the back of the skull...most likely bludgeoned to death approximately 100 years ago during World War I. Based on the information and old photograph supplied with the box, this was indeed Cpl. John Henry Stansbury, US Army, killed in the trenches of France in 1917. He was no longer missing in action, and his remains could finally be returned to his family. Brennan could now move on to the next box that awaited her gentle touch in her quiet and peaceful sanctuary.

 _I've built walls,_

 _A fortress deep and mighty,_

 _That none may penetrate…_

"I thought I might find you down here, Brennan." Angela smiled as she walked over to the examination table. "You're not hiding, are you?"

"Angela...Hello...Listen, about what I said last night...I want to apologize. I know it was rude to tell you to shut up." Brennan blushed slightly as she remembered the shocked look on Angela's face. "And no, I'm not hiding. I'm working. When the lab doesn't have a case to work on with the FBI I'm supposed to work on identifying these remains." Brennan looked up and saw Angela's wry smile. "But you knew that, didn't you? I thought you weren't coming to work today."

Angela pulled a stool over to the opposite side of the table, and sat watching Brennan work for a few minutes before speaking again. "I'm not working today. I'm on a mission of mercy…"

"What?" Brennan looked up, startled at the implication. "Is someone in trouble? Is Hodgins okay?"

"Yes, Hodgins is fine. He's not the one who needs help." Angela patted Brennan's arm gently. "You are."

Shaking her head, Brennan grimaced as she went back to laying out the bones. "I have no idea what you're talking about Angela."

"Yes, you do. You remember...tall, dark, and very well built, with cute dimples?"

"You mean Booth? I don't need help with Booth. I've completed all of the necessary steps to become his work partner again, and I think that will be a satisfactory arrangement for everyone concerned." Brennan grimaced slightly. After the emotional turmoil of the last two days, she was beginning to wonder if it was a good idea to be Booth's partner again...

"Your work relationship may be fine, but I'm gonna help you with the other part of the picture. Tell me what happened at Booth's apartment on New Year's Eve that upset you so much. And don't give me that glare….I'm not leaving until I get the full story."

"Angela...I don't want to talk about it…." Brennan pretended to study the left femur of the deceased.

"Okay, then I'll just make up my own stories and you tell me which one is closest to the truth. He burned the spaghetti sauce. He's a lousy kisser. He couldn't perform sexually. He has a toenail fetish. His old girlfriend showed up…" Angela heard Brennan's little gasp of exasperation and realized what had happened. "So you two were getting it on and Cam showed up? Wow….awkward…."

"We were not 'getting it on', Angela. We were dancing, and then...Booth kissed me, and I kissed him….and then Cam arrived, and she was angry that I was there, and I was angry and embarrassed because she was there, and Booth was angry about something as well…it was all quite confusing."

Angela tilted her head as she studied her friend. "Which part was confusing, Sweetie? I don't understand. Was it Cam? Because I'm pretty sure Booth laid down the law and kicked her ass out of his house after you left. They did not part on good terms when they broke up. It wasn't mutual. He broke up with her. She was extremely jealous of his relationship with you."

"He told me part of that yesterday. Cam showed up without being invited…" Brennan's expression was wistful as she remembered talking to Booth. She sighed softly as she continued her explanation for Angela. "I was confused about what I felt about Booth. I was glad he kissed me, and I wanted to kiss him, but I'm not sure I want to risk falling in love with him...I was nervous about that and when Cam arrived I didn't know how to react...I wanted to yell at her, and I couldn't tell how Booth felt about her being there…"

"Sweetie, I'm sure Booth wouldn't want her there if you were there. He invited you over, right?" Brennan nodded as she stared at the bones. "So let's think logically for a minute. If he wanted to impress you and show you a good time, would he really invite his old girlfriend to show up at the same time?"

"You're right. That wouldn't be logical." Brennan examined the right humerus closely. "So he really wasn't happy to see her?"

"Correct. And as far as taking the risk to fall in love with Booth, Sweetie, I'd say that was a moot point, because you've already done that."

 _Don't talk of love._

 _I've heard the word before._

 _It's sleeping in my memory._

 _I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died._

 _If I'd never loved, I never would've cried…._

"I'm not in love with Booth, Angela. Anyway, what we call love is…"

Angela held up both hands toward Brennan. "I don't want to hear that 'love is a chemical reaction' crap. And, yes, you are in love with Booth. Trust me, Sweetie. You love him, and he loves you."

Brennan's heart beat a little faster at Angela's assertion, but her logical mind wouldn't let her believe it was true. "Even if that was true, Angela, I'm not sure that pursuing a relationship with him is an intelligent thing to do. I thought I loved Sully enough to live with him on a boat in the Caribbean Sea, and that didn't work out well at all. Booth thought he loved Cam, Rebecca, and Tessa, and none of those relationships had successful outcomes." She looked up at Angela, shaking her head. "Relationships are ephemeral. A person can put a lot of effort into relationships, only to have them fade away or come crashing down."

"Some relationships do end badly, but many relationships last for a long time. People get married and have families…."

"Angela, do you remember the murder victim we had in the lab earlier this week? He was run over with his own truck by his loving wife, who was angry because he had forgotten to bring their lunches to the park."

"Sweetie…" Angela sighed. For every example of a happy relationship, Brennan would shoot her down with another fact or statistic. It was time to change tactics. "Let's talk about oysters."

"What?" Brennan stopped what she was doing with the bones and stared at Angela. "Why would we talk about shellfish?"

"Well, it's like this...when something irritates an oyster's body and they can't get rid of it, they coat the object with nacre and make a pearl, so something bad becomes something beautiful. Maybe instead of looking at all the painful relationships you've had in life, you should just ignore them and turn them into pearls…you know, let time cover up the bad memories so they become easier to deal with…."

Brennan rolled her eyes. "That's a ridiculous analogy, Angela. I don't dwell on my past…"

Obviously the pearl metaphor wasn't going to work. "Okay, well then….let's talk about experiments. Why don't we see who's point of view is correct? Maybe you should conduct an experiment."

"An experiment? About love? Ridiculous." Brennan snickered at the thought. "There are too many variables to consider when conducting experiments about human beings and their emotions, and anyway, psychology is a pseudoscience…."

"Just as I thought, Brennan...you're afraid I'm going to be right and you're going to be wrong. I know how much you hate that…." Angela smiled to herself. She had often used that ploy to get Brennan to try something new.

Brennan wrote down some information on the paper attached to her clipboard. "You're incorrect, Angela. However, I don't think I'm interested in conducting an experiment to see if I should have a romantic relationship with Booth."

"Come on, Brennan. You and Booth were made for each other. That's why you weren't happy with Sully, and why Booth wasn't happy with Tessa or Cam. You know you don't want anyone else but Booth…"

"It's unrealistic to think that Booth and I would only be happy with each other, Angela. There are several people I could be happy with…"

"That may be true, Sweetie, but right now, Booth is available, and you know you could be happy with him if you just give it a chance."

Brennan picked the bones up and put them back in the box. Another WW I soldier had been identified and could finally be returned to his family. "If I give a relationship with Booth a chance, and it fails, our work relationship would suffer tremendously, and I don't want to risk that. I think things will be better if Booth and I simply maintain a professional relationship."

Angela sighed as she watched Brennan pick out another box to work on. So much for her mission of mercy. Brennan was in denial about her feelings for Booth, and she was going to stubbornly cling to the idea that she and Booth were just friends in order to prove she was right.

"Hey, I'm gonna have lunch, Brennan. Do you want to join me?"

"No, thank you….I'm going to work on a few more of these boxes and then go finish some paperwork in my office. Thanks for coming to see me. I feel better since we talked."

"I'm glad you feel better, Sweetie. I'll see you tomorrow." Angela got up to leave, but turned back to Brennan. "If you're still confused about what you feel about Booth, you can call me…"

"I'll be fine, Angela, but thank you for being such a good friend, even when I'm disagreeable. I'll see you tomorrow."

 _I am shielded in my armor._

 _Hiding in my room, safe within my womb,_

 _I touch no one and no one touches me._

 _I am a rock...I am an island._

Brennan opened the box and lay the bones out on the stainless steel table. This skeleton was severely damaged and in disarray…"Just like my emotions", Brennan thought. She paused for a minute, thinking over everything that Angela had said. Brennan knew she loved Booth, and it gave her a little thrill to think that he might love her, but giving in to the temptation to actually engage in a relationship with each other frightened her. She exhaled slowly, deciding it would be safer for her emotional well being if they remained friends instead of taking the risk of being lovers. In fact, it would be much safer if she avoided working with him altogether. She'd tell Booth that she'd changed her mind about being his partner. She could examine bodies in the lab and assist him that way. She'd be far less likely to be hurt when Booth changed his mind about what he wanted. It was the logical decision to make. She squared her shoulders and went back to work, trying to ignore the small tear that had escaped from her eyelashes. It might be the logical decision, but that didn't make it any less painful…..

 _And a rock feels no pain…._

 _And an island never cries…._

oooooooooo

Booth looked at himself in the mirror as he got ready for work that morning, giving himself another pep talk. A guy didn't get to be a decorated US Army Ranger or an FBI Special Agent by giving up when things got tough. If he wanted something bad enough, and if it was worth fighting for, he would do whatever it took to achieve his goal. The innate toughness of his character had served him well in the past, and it would be invaluable now. He was not going to give up on having a relationship with Bones just because of one simple misunderstanding.

He'd spent a good deal of time yesterday thinking about what had happened in the previous 48 hours, and he'd come to a sort of epiphany. He smiled to himself, remembering his lunch conversation with Bones. In this case he was recognizing an idea. He realized that, while it was annoying and frustrating that Cam had broken up their little party, it was possible that Bones had used that intrusion as an excuse to leave so she could avoid the strong emotions they were both feeling. In fact, she was probably so nervous that she'd want to try to back out of being his partner again, but he was not about to let that happen. All he needed was a little bit of time….enough time to convince her that there was nothing to be afraid of...that she could trust him, and that he wouldn't hurt her.

Booth tried to read his paper as he ate his breakfast at the diner, but he couldn't concentrate. His mind kept wandering back to Bones. Poor little bunny….Yeah, little bunny...she'd kick his ass good if she knew he'd ever thought of her that way, as a fluffy baby animal...but she was just so damn cute…and so scared to love someone after being abandoned and hurt so many times. He knew she hated feeling out of control in emotional situations, and feeling like she was falling in love with him would definitely make her feel that way. He would just have to reassure her that he'd be there to catch her if she did fall...to keep her heart safe. She wouldn't be going on this journey alone. They'd be together every step of the way.

Later that day, as Booth drove over to the Jeffersonian, he hummed happily to himself. Things were gonna work out well. Booth wasn't above using FBI rules and regulations to serve his own purposes and to get what he wanted, especially in this case. He wore a self satisfied smirk as he walked into the Jeffersonian and took the elevator up to Dr. Goodman's office. Booth made a mental note to send Sully a case of his favorite beer...maybe he wasn't such a bad guy after all.

He sat in the chair across from Dr. Goodman's desk and heard the tentative knock on the door. He smiled to himself as he thought just how surprised and annoyed Bones was going to be, especially when she tried to work her way out of the situation.

"Ah, Dr. Brennan. Come in." Dr. Goodman motioned to a chair. "Please sit down. Agent Booth and I have just been discussing a situation that's arisen suddenly, and we need your help."

Brennan threw a suspicious glance towards Booth, wondering what was going on. Booth gave her a slight wave before turning his attention back to Dr. Goodman.

"What sort of situation, Dr. Goodman? I really don't see how I can be of assistance to Agent Booth right now…."

Booth interrupted with a cocky grin. "I'm sure you'll be able to assist me tremendously, Dr. Brennan. You see, Agent Sullivan has requested and has received a transfer to the FBI office in Charleston, South Carolina, effective immediately. He's very pleased...they have a fine harbor there, and he'll be able to keep his boat with very little trouble. But that leaves me without a partner, and you know the regs...I have to have a partner when I go out into the field…."

Brennan's brow furrowed as she thought through what Booth had explained. "That's interesting for Sully, but I don't see how that affects me…."

Dr. Goodman cleared his throat. "Agent Booth has paperwork that says your application to work with the FBI has been fast tracked, Dr. Brennan. Instead of waiting six weeks to become his partner, you're to become his partner effective immediately."

"But I've changed my mind, Booth...I don't want to be your partner right now…" Brennan exhaled slowly as she tried to explain her change of heart. "I think it's too soon for me to start working in the field again...I'm out of practice…I'd be a liability. I'm afraid I'd be in the way."

Booth wasn't buying her excuse. "Sorry, Bones...it's gonna take at least two weeks for the Bureau to find a suitable replacement for Sully, you know, with the right combination of skills and experience, but the directors don't want me out of the field that long, so you have to fill in temporarily….just until they can get someone else. Okay? Please?"

Brennan sat back in her chair, rendered helpless by the lethal combination of sad puppy eyes and charm smile that Booth had deployed on her to get his way. Realizing she couldn't fight against Booth's determination to make her his partner, even if it was temporary, she sighed as she relented. "Okay. Two weeks...but only two weeks…."


	6. Chapter 6

_The song in this chapter is Lover, Come Back by Dallas Green. No copyright infringement intended._

 _Bound for trouble from the start,_

 _I've been walking through this old world in the dark._

 _All along, right by my side_

 _There you were shining, my ray of light._

Two days later Booth walked across the lab toward Brennan's office, full of conflicting emotions. They had a case, which meant someone had died in a horrible, unnatural way, and they needed to bring a murderer to justice. This was not a responsibility to be taken lightly. He was dedicated to performing his job to the best of his ability, and he'd use all of his experience, skill, and resources to bring this case to a satisfactory conclusion, with the parties responsible being brought to justice.

On the other hand, he could hardly keep from smiling inappropriately, considering that someone had died. He was going to be working with Bones as his partner again, and just the thought of renewing their partnership made his heart rate accelerate. Booth laughed to himself as he thought about her expression when he told her she'd been pressed into service for the FBI. He wasn't above being manipulative with FBI regulations if it got him what he wanted, especially where she was concerned. Maybe the way he'd pushed her into helping him wasn't within the letter of the law, but they had always achieved great results together. Cullen didn't care who Booth was partnered with, as long as they closed cases, and he was more than willing to sign off on Booth's idea that Brennan's application be fast tracked.

Now, if he could only fast track her heart...Booth was convinced that she felt something for him...something other than professional respect or even friendship. He nodded and grinned, rather proud of himself. While they were working together over the next few weeks he was going to try to make her fall in love with him. This was going to be a step towards achieving his New Year's resolution. He was going to make her see that they could have a wonderful life together as a loving couple. So what if he had to manipulate the work rules to make it happen...no one was going to get hurt, and a lot of people might actually be helped along the way. He'd have to be patient...she was going to have to be coaxed, especially after her failed relationship with Sully, but he was a determined man, and he was going to pull out all the stops to win her affections.

 _Lover, come back_

 _Come back to me._

 _How could I have been so foolish as to let you leave….._

Booth mentally kicked himself again, wondering why he'd told Bones to go with Sully. He hadn't really thought she'd actually go...and when she left, he felt like his world was crashing down around him. And Cam was right...she had dried his tears and comforted him, but Jesus, what a mistake that had been. _God...what was I thinking?_ He sighed as he relived his error in judgment. _I should_ _have known how things would've turned out with Cam...I was too angry at Bones and at myself and the whole damn situation to think straight_ …. Maybe it would've been easier if he had just followed Bones to the Caribbean and begged her to come home...but that wouldn't have worked either. She had to find out for herself that Sully wasn't the right one for her, and now that she had come to that realization, maybe he'd be able to show her how he really felt...make her see that he was the one she needed in her life.

 _Lover, come back._

 _Come back to me._

 _oooooooooo_

He leaned against the door frame for a few seconds, watching Brennan work. _Jesus...she's so beautiful when she's thinking…_ He willed himself to calm down...he had to explain that their present situation was strictly professional, or she'd build the walls around her heart even higher.

"Why are you here, Booth?" She spoke to him without turning away from her computer. "Do we have a case, or are you just here to annoy me?"

"We do have a case, Bones, and it looks like it may be messy. A body was found on the edge of a tidal pool out on federal land over in Delaware. Looks like you're gonna need your gum boots." He grinned at her. "Seems like old times, doesn't it? You and me and a messy crime scene? Anyway, the first responders need us out there pretty quick before the tide comes in again, so chop chop...we gotta get a move on."

Brennan glared at Booth as she shut down her computer. "Don't get used to this, Booth. I'm only going to work with you until Sully's replacement arrives." She glanced over and noticed once again how well his black FBI tee shirt fit...even when she was dating Sully she had often paused to appreciate Booth's finely sculpted musculature. She quickly returned her focus to the task at hand. Grabbing her kit and her boots Brennan joined Booth as they walked quickly to his car.

oooooooooo

 _I'll never be as good as I'd like to be._

 _Eternally restless, refusing to believe…_

 _But I think we missed our connection._

 _I wanted to feel your affection_

 _Until my dying days._

"What can you tell me about the remains?" Brennan stared out the window of the SUV as it sped along. She realized that for the first time in a long time she finally felt completely comfortable around Booth...she could relax now that they had something to talk about other than Sully or Cam.

"Mostly that's there's not much left. I guess the people who first saw the bones at the scene thought they belonged to a deer or something like that, but the shape of the skull clued them in otherwise." Booth glanced over at Brennan as she watched the scenery go by. "You know, I've missed this...us working together. No matter who my partner was while you were gone, it just wasn't the same…."

She turned toward him and rolled her eyes. "That's ridiculous, Booth. You evidently were able to successfully work with several different partners to solve cases for the FBI, which is apparently why Director Cullen is so anxious to have you remain in the field, even with a substitute partner like me."

"We did all right...I worked some cases solo until the rules started to change about everybody having a partner, and then I got assigned some cases with other guys here and there, but it just isn't the same as having a long term partner...you know, someone that you've built trust with...someone you know you can rely on. When you work with someone new, you have to establish boundaries about who does what, and you have to work really hard to learn how to communicate with them."

"I remember, Booth….it took me awhile to get used to working with a partner when I first started going out in the field with you." Brennan turned away from him to watch the scenery again. She hadn't realized how much she had missed that aspect of her partnership with Booth...the trust between them and the fact that she had always been able to rely on him.

"It takes everybody awhile...that's why it's good to find a partner and do everything you can to keep him or her." Booth sighed as he felt the meaning of those words….they were true in love as well as in work. "That's why I'm pleased that you're gonna work with me, at least for a few weeks."

Brennan studied Booth for a few seconds, and then turning away again, casually asked, "How did you get Sully to leave, Booth? If I didn't know better, I'd think you sent him away on purpose so I wouldn't be tempted to live on his boat with him again."

 _Damn!_ Booth thought. _Am I really that obvious?_ "Of course I didn't send him away...why would I do that? _Other than the fact that I'm crazy in love with you, Bones…_ "You know that the FBI sends out lists of job openings periodically, and anyone can apply for a transfer if they want. The opening in South Carolina came up, and I mentioned it to Sully. Rebecca's boyfriend is in the Coast Guard, and he said that Charleston has one of the best harbors on the East coast."

"Rebecca's boyfriend told you that in casual conversation? You don't even like him, Booth. Why would you be talking about harbors anyway?" Brennan tried to keep from smiling. It was becoming clear what had happened. "You called him, didn't you, so you could get information to use to convince Sully to leave."

"You think I was conspiring to get Sully to leave? He's not a bad guy, and we were on friendly terms for the most part." _Until he stole you from me._ "So I wanted him to be happy, and I decided to do the guy a favor. That's what friends do for each other. I don't know why you're so suspicious, Bones…."

"Possibly because you knew he'd be so happy to take the position that he'd leave right away before you could get a new partner assigned." Brennan chuckled as Booth's ears turned red. "I have to admit, Booth, it is rather flattering to think that you'd go to such great lengths to have me be your partner again…"

 _You have no idea, Bones…._ "Oh...here we are….yuck...this place is a swampy mess. Here, wait just a minute and I'll help you...Bones! Dammit...wait just a minute…" Brennan got out of the SUV just as rain started to fall and started trekking across the muddy salt marsh before Booth could assist her, warning the law enforcement officials not to disturb the remains any more than they already had. Booth watched as she began her survey of the remains and the surrounding environment, feeling both admiration and perhaps a bit of lust. _Yep….seems like old times…_

oooooooooo

 _I am warm enough yet I shiver._

 _I am fed but still I starve._

 _You know me...I am the great misgiver,_

 _Always waiting for the clouds to part._

 _Come back lover, come back to me…._

The pale light of the winter sun was beginning to fade as Booth and Brennan made their way back to the Jeffersonian. It had been a cold and wet recovery of the remains, which were stuck in layers of mud and silt, and both of them were exhausted emotionally as well as physically. It didn't help matters that they both had wet feet, and a steady rain had seeped through their clothing, chilling them to the bone. They rode in silence for an hour, trying to grasp the tragedy around what had happened to the victim.

"The remains were badly scavenged, Booth, but I think Angela will have enough to do a facial reconstruction. We'll at least have a general idea of what she looked like in life." Brennan pushed her damp hair off her face as she glanced over at Booth. His lips were pressed in a tight line and his knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel. "I'm sorry, Booth. I know these cases upset you…" Brennan reached out and gently stroked his arm.

"A kid….a little girl. God damn it, Bones...how could anyone do something so horrible to a little girl like that?" Booth turned to look out the side window so Bones wouldn't see the tears in his eyes. "I mean, she was probably about Parker's age, right? Son of a bitch…"

"We will find the person did this to her, Booth...I'll stay on this case even after you're new partner arrives. We won't give up until we figure it out…."

He turned back to look at her, brushing away a stray tear. "I know you won't give up, Bones...you never do. That's what makes you such a great partner." Inhaling deeply, he swallowed hard and tried to calm down. "Hey, I'm sorry I got so worked up, you know? I mean, I'm supposed to maintain my professional composure…"

"Don't be sorry, Booth….you don't have to pretend around me. You can always tell me exactly what you're feeling…" Brennan paused and, sighing deeply, looked out at the road ahead of them. "I'm also feeling very distressed about this case. I seem to have lost my capacity for professional detachment as well. However, I'm glad that I'm able to share what I'm feeling with you…"

Booth's heart did a little dance in his chest as he wondered what feelings she might share with him. "Maybe that's what made us such good partners, Bones...we could talk to each other….although I think maybe there are some things I still need to say to you…" Booth exhaled slowly, ready to pour out his heart to her, and his phone rang. He groaned slightly as he answered it.

"Booth. No….no, absolutely not. No. I mean it. Do not...yes, I do mean it. Absolutely not. No way. Enough. Goodbye." He put his phone away and sighed, staring straight ahead as he clenched his jaw.

"Cam?" Brennan looked out the side window again.

"Yeah…" Booth rubbed his neck as he tried to explain again. "That whole thing with her was such a big mistake...listen, Bones...you've gotta believe me, okay? I'm real embarrassed to say that the relationship Cam and I had was based on satisfying biological urges, and not much else. It was just sex...I feel bad about that, but that's all it was."

"Why be embarrassed about that, Booth? All mammals need the release of endorphins that accompany an orgasm." Brennan glanced at Booth. "It's a perfectly normal instinctual response."

"It may be normal if you're a horny sixteen year old boy, but that's not what I want in a relationship with the woman I love, Bones. It has to be more than sex." Booth turned the SUV into the Jeffersonian parking garage. "A relationship has to be built on affection, communication, and devotion to each other in order to last. Then after that part of the relationship is in place, the sex part of the relationship becomes extraordinary." As he parked the car, Booth turned and took Brennan's hand in his as he looked into her eyes. "That's the kind of relationship I want, and I want it with you." She sat stunned for a few seconds, trying to decide how to respond.

"Booth...I don't think this is a good idea…what about our partnership? The FBI won't let us work together…."

He held up his hand to interrupt her protests. "I don't give a damn about what the FBI says. Look, I know you may not feel the same way about me, and I'm not going to pressure you to become involved in a relationship like that if you don't want to, but you deserve to know the truth about how I feel. I love you so much….and I have for a long time." _There…the truth is finally out….no turning back from it now…._ He brushed the damp hair away from Brennan's face and gently kissed her on the lips. His cheeks flushed as he noticed her slightly shocked expression. "C'mon, I'll walk you inside. Do you want me to go get you some dinner?"

"No...I think I'm going to go home and have some soup. If you want, you can come by my place and have some, too. There's plenty…." She stopped and stared at him. _He's just told me something momentous...that he loves me._.. _and I don't know what to say_ …. _do I love him?_ _I think maybe I do love him but h_ e _doesn't seem to be concerned about that right now…._

He wanted to go to home with her, but he knew she needed some time to work through what she thought about what he had said. He shook his head as he held the door open for her. "Not tonight. I'm beat. I'll see you tomorrow. We'll have lunch together. Hey, don't work too late tonight, Bones, okay?"

She nodded. "Okay. I'm going to check my emails and then go home."

He gave her a small smile as he turned to walk away. "Okay. Will you text me and let me know you got home alright?"

"If you want…"

"Yes, I want. Good night, Bones…."

"Good night, Booth." She watched him walk a short distance away from her before she stopped him. "Booth?"

"Yeah…" He closed his eyes and sighed as he turned to face her. _Here it comes….she's not even gonna let me down easy….I spilled my guts about being in love with her and she's gonna shoot me down...she's gonna tell me that most relationships fail….all that damn anthropology crap about monogamy being unnatural…._

Brennan was startled at his response. _Did I really say his name out loud? What was I going to say…._ She stammered a bit as she realized he was waiting for her to say something. "Thank you for sharing what you've been feeling about me. I'm going to consider what you said about relationships…." She wore a serious expression as she chewed her lip and stared down at her clasped hands.

He grinned and nodded. "That's all I ask. Thanks, Bones. Good night." He turned and quickly walked to his car and drove away..

Brennan watched silently as he got in his car and pulled out of the parking garage. Booth's feelings were now completely out in the open...he had nothing left to hide from her. Now it was up to her to decide what she was willing to do about it.

 _Come back, lover….come back to me…._

 _Sorry to end this chapter here but the original version was coming up on 4200 words, and ain't nobody got time to read all that. More soon..._


	7. Chapter 7

**_A/N: the songs for this chapter are "I Think I Love You" by Tony Romeo, and "Tainted Love" by Ed Cobb. No copyright infringement intended._**

 _This morning_

 _I woke up with this feeling_

 _I didn't know how to deal with_

 _And so I just decided to myself_

 _I'd hide it to myself_

 _And never talk about it._

Brennan sat at her office desk early the next morning, trying to work on her notes for the new case without much luck. She was becoming quite frustrated as she tried to enter the information on her computer. _So many errors….I really need to pay attention...I wonder what Booth is doing this morning…._ No matter how hard she tried to concentrate on the work she was doing, her mind kept drifting back to the conversation she'd had with Booth the night before. _Booth says he loves me, and I believe he really thinks he does….but what exactly does that mean for us?_ _And what do I feel for him? I'm still not sure...but I'd like to explore the possibilities._ Both of them had been in relationships with other people...relationships that had failed miserably. _Why would this relationship be any different? Is it worth the risk to our friendship and work relationship?_

Brennan smiled to herself as she continued to type. The thought of adding a different aspect to their relationship was as frightening as it was thrilling. _This feeling is similar to riding a roller coaster...slightly scary, but very exhilarating..._ Her heart rate had accelerated, her skin had flushed, and her body began to produce copious amounts of adrenaline when she thought about him. _If thinking about Booth creates this type of startling physiological reaction in me, how will my body react to actually being in a romantic relationship with him?_ She giggled as her breathing rate increased. _It seems that thinking about Booth makes me slightly giddy and it obviously affects my ability to use my mental capabilities logically._ Based on her observations, it seemed her body would react quite favorably to being close to Booth, but perhaps she needed to investigate further. _Research into that subject would definitely be pleasurable…_

"Sweetie?" Brennan turned to Angela with a wide eyed look of surprise. Angela, laughing quietly at Brennan's expression, came into the office and sat down opposite of her. "I'm sorry, Brennan...I didn't mean to startle you. You must have been really concentrating on your computer. What are you working on so diligently this morning?"

"It's alright, Angela. I was just trying to complete my case notes from yesterday." Brennan sighed as she looked back at her computer monitor. "This will probably be a difficult case for us to work on. The remains were badly damaged, and given the age of the victim…" Brennan sighed as she shook her head at Angela. "Booth was quite upset at the crime scene...the child was probably the same age as Parker is now."

Angela nodded as she listened to Brennan's explanation, but her observant nature had noticed that something else might be going on with her friend as well, and she decided to press for details. "So how was it, going back out in the field with Booth? Did it feel awkward to work with him again after so long?"

Brennan glanced down at her keyboard as she tried to avoid making eye contact with Angela. "It was fine. You know we've always worked well together. What's that expression? Like remembering how to ride a bicycle? It was easy to pick up where we left off…"

"Really, Brennan? What I know is that you haven't always worked well together with Booth. There was a lot of tension between you two before you left for the Caribbean with Sully, remember?" Angela watched to see what her friend's reaction would be, grinning as she saw the slight blush on Brennan's cheeks. "So I take it that things are going better now, right? All very professional and detached, I bet." _Maybe be professional, but definitely not detached._ Angela arched her eyebrow at Brennan and laughed. "I think the personal aspect of the relationship has improved also, judging from your smile and the way your eyes are sparkling."

"Angela...Booth and I are good friends, but our personal relationship has nothing to do with our partnership…" Brennan focused on her computer's monitor, hoping that she appeared calm. She wasn't in the mood for Angela's prying questions.

"Whatever you say, Sweetie…" Angela paused before continuing. "But if it was me, I'd be grateful for a second chance at a relationship with Booth." Seeing that she wasn't going to get the reaction she wanted from Brennan, Angela rose from her chair. "I'm going to try to complete a facial reconstruction for the little girl this morning, but since the skull was damaged it may take awhile. I'd better get going. I'll talk to you later when it's finished, okay?"

 _I don't know what I'm up against._

 _I don't know what it's all about._

 _I got so much to think about…._

"Angela...wait." Brennan chewed her lip, trying to decide how much to tell her friend. "It may be none of my business, but I, um...I was wondering if you know why Booth and Cam broke up. I had always thought they had a good relationship. That's part of the reason I left with Sully. I felt like Cam would take care of Booth's emotional needs, and he'd be happy in a committed romantic relationship."

Angela glanced back at her friend with a questioning look. "You really don't know?"

Brennan shook her head. "When I left, I thought they were happy together. I didn't keep in touch with Booth while I was in the Caribbean, and I didn't call him when I returned because I thought they were still together." Brennan grimaced as she shrugged her shoulders. "I felt like Dr. Saroyan viewed me as a threat to their relationship for some reason, so I left them alone. I was surprised when I found out that they had ended it…."

Angela sat back down and grinned at Brennan. "You were right, Sweetie...Cam did view you as a threat to her relationship with Booth. I guess she figured out how much Booth loved you, even when he was sleeping with her. She wanted more from him than he could give her...she wanted all of him, body, heart, and soul, and she didn't want to share any part of him with you. He wanted more from her, too…if he couldn't have a committed long term relationship with you, he wanted that with her, but she didn't want to be pinned down in a relationship like that because she knew he didn't love her like he loved you."

"That's really confusing, Angela...why would she think Booth was in love with me? He never gave any indication that he felt that way. He said we had to avoid crossing that line….we had to remain professional. That's why I started dating Sully."

Angela gave Brennan a sad little smile. "Sweetie, Booth has probably been in love with you from the first day he met you, but it probably seemed to him like maybe you weren't interested in him that way. He was protecting himself from getting hurt, I think...maybe he thought he could get over you if he was with Cam, but it didn't work." Angela sat back down in her chair and grimaced as she recalled what happened. "About two weeks after you left, Booth and Cam had a really loud argument in the lab. She'd made some stupid mistakes on a high profile murder case because she was in a rush to complete things, and it cost Booth a conviction. He called her on it, and she retaliated by saying some really awful things about how he did his job. She said he was incompetent, and that he was too busy mooning over you to do his job right. I guess Booth also took exception to what he viewed as unkind remarks that Cam had made about you, and he yelled at her...he told her to get over it….that she just needed to accept that she'd never be able to take your place as the top scientist in the lab or as the woman he loved. You can imagine how that went over…."

Brennan was horrified. "Why would he say something like that in front of everybody? That's….that's unbelievable. Booth would never act like that. He'd be in control of himself…of his emotions..."

"I don't know...I don't know exactly what Cam said, but I guess whatever it was, it caused him to go ballistic. It was all very awkward. Anyway, a few weeks after that blow up, Cam took a job running a big hospital in New York City, and Booth stayed here pining away for you. I felt so sorry for him. I guess he thought he had ruined his life by letting you leave..."

"Angela, I thought he wanted me to leave...he told me to go with Sully." Brennan blinked back a tear, thinking about how badly she had been hurt by that...Booth hadn't asked her to stay...he wanted her to go away.

"He was trying to be unselfish...he thought that you just needed a little coaxing to follow your dreams of love with Sully." Angela saw the confusion on Brennan's face. "I know it's confusing, Brennan, but the reality is, Booth loves you, and I think you love him, right? So, whatever he's offering you, you'd be crazy not to take him up on it. Trust me on this, alright? Think about it. He's worth taking a chance on. Now….I'm going to go work on that reconstruction. See you later." Angela left to go to back to her office.

Brennan sat looking at her computer screen, trying to understand everything Angela had explained to her. Finally, she exhaled slowly and smiled. Maybe it was time to take a chance on Booth.

 _I think I love you, so what am I so afraid of?_

 _I'm afraid that I'm not sure of_

 _A love there is no cure for….._

 _oooooooooo_

 _Now I know I've got to run away_

 _I've got to get away_

 _You don't really want any more from me…._

 _Tainted love, oh, tainted love…._

Booth strolled absentmindedly through the bullpen, slowly making his way toward his office. He knew he was a bit late coming in today, but after being out in the field all day yesterday he'd decided to take an extra hour this morning. He waved and nodded to the other agents before stopping in the kitchenette to fix himself a cup of coffee. He stood stirring his coffee, staring off into space, thinking of Bones, when his pleasant thoughts were interrupted.

"Hey, Agent Booth…"

"Yeah, what is it, Charlie?" Booth turned to walk toward his office.

"You've got a visitor this morning...a real good-looking visitor if you know what I mean." Charlie grinned and winked. "And, by the way, Cullen said he wanted to see you some time today….something about your partner."

Booth took a sip of coffee and grinned back. He didn't expect Bones to show up at his office this early...he'd expected her later, after she'd completed her preliminary work on the skeleton. _Maybe I've convinced her to take a chance on me. God, I hope so…._ He quickened his pace to his office and threw open the door.

"Good morning. You're running late, I see."

"Cam….what are you doing here? I told them downstairs not to admit you…" Booth stood with his arms crossed over his chest, rigid with anger as he glared at her.

"I told the agent at the front desk that we were old friends, and that I had some information for you. He was very helpful…" She laughed as she sauntered over to Booth. "I came to see you before I go home...my vacation is over, so I'm on my way, and I want you to come with me." She smiled as she smoothed his tie down over the front of his shirt. "Take a week off and come stay with me. We could have so much fun...we might even get around to leaving my bedroom." She reached up to kiss him, but he pulled away and quickly moved to sit behind his desk.

 _Don't touch me, please…_

 _I cannot stand the way you tease..._

"I've already explained this to you, Cam. I'm really sorry that I hurt you. I didn't mean to do that, but things can't go back to the way they were." He stared at his hands and shook his head. "I'm in love with Bones, and I guess I was even when we were together. You have every right to hate me….I deserve it. But I've lied to myself and to everyone else for too long. You should be with someone who really loves you, Cam….who wants to do everything for you...someone who loves you without wishing he was with someone else. You deserve that, and I can't give it to you. Even if we keep seeing each other, I'd always end up wanting Bones instead of you…."

 _To make things right_

 _You need someone to hold you tight._

 _And you think love is to pray…_

 _I'm sorry I don't pray that way…_

"Booth…" Cam sat on the corner of the desk and leaned over him. "Do you really think you can get that crazy woman to love you the way you love her? She's heartless and cold...and not just a little bit strange. I wouldn't be surprised if she turns out to be mentally ill…"

"Stop, Cam, alright? Bones is a wonderful person, but you'll never know that because you're too busy trying to put her down." Booth pulled a file out of his desk drawer and began reading. "I have work to do...so, if there's nothing more….I hope you have a safe trip home."

"Listen, Booth...I've had enough of your shit!" Now thoroughly enraged, Cam got up from the desk and stood to face him. "Don't you remember how good we were together? It was so wonderful...you'll never have that with Dr. Brennan."

Booth sat back in his chair and glared at Cam a few seconds before a small smile played across his lips. "Now I get it. I know what's going on…this isn't about us or me at all, is it? You just hate the fact that I'm in love with Bones. If it was anyone else, you'd be gone already, but you can't stand it now because it's her...you know she'll always be better than you at everything." He nodded as he looked at his file again. "Well, she may never love me like I love her, but you know what, Cam? She did beat you this time. So, it's time for you to make a graceful exit before I call security."

 _The love we share_

 _Seems to go nowhere._

 _And I've lost my light,_

 _For I toss and turn, I can't sleep at night…._

 _oooooooooo_

Brennan walked purposefully across the bullpen on the way to Booth's office. She hadn't called ahead, but she knew he'd want to see the most recent information Hodgins and Zack had gathered from the particulates and the isotope studies of the child's skeleton. She reached the door of Booth's office and stopped suddenly. Booth had a visitor….

"Oh, hello, Dr. Saroyan." Brennan paused, pinching her lips together and feeling slightly awkward. "Um, I'm sorry, Booth...I didn't know you were busy. Here's the newest information we have on our young Jane Doe. I guess I should have just sent the file over by courier. I'll leave it here with you and you can email me later today if you have any questions. Goodbye, Booth."

"Wait. Don't leave, Bones. Cam isn't staying." Booth moved toward the door and, taking Brennan's hand, ushered her into his office.

"Good morning, Dr. Brennan. Well, isn't this sweet?" Cam gave them both a fake smile. "You and Booth working together again, just like the old days. I'm glad to see that you've managed to worm your way back into being Booth's partner." Cam smirked at Brennan as she sauntered toward the door. "Be careful of working with Booth, though...he's a real heartbreaker." Cam stopped and turned back toward Booth. "So that's it, right, Booth? Another pretty face comes along, and you forget about me like I'm yesterday's news? That's all this is...pure, unadulterated lust. You can't wait to get her into your bed...just another conquest for Seeley Booth." Cam stood with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot. "I suppose you're going to tell me you love her with all your heart, and she's everything you've ever wanted, but I remember you saying those same words to me just a few months ago. Fine. Good luck with this one." Cam nodded toward Brennan. "You're gonna need it. She's a cold, heartless bitch…." Cam laughed hoarsely as she choked back her tears. "He'll tell you the same thing, Brennan...that he loves you, and he wants you forever, but don't believe him...he's a liar. He just wants in your pants, and once he's finished with that and he gets what he wants, he'll on his merry way again."

A warning growl started from Booth's throat. "Cam…", but Brennan held up her hand to interrupt him.

"Dr. Saroyan….I realize that it's uncomfortable for you to be in this situation. Ending a relationship is often unhappy for the participants involved. However, there is no logical reason for you to be so disparaging of Agent Booth. The fact that he prefers my company to yours may just be a matter of brain chemistry...it could be that our pheromones are more compatible. However, even if it is true that all Booth wants is to have sex with me, it is truly none of your business. Your relationship with Booth has ended, most likely because of your disagreeable personality, so I suggest that you take Booth's suggestion and leave now, before I become angry. Trust me...I'm as much of an alpha female as you are, and I'll do whatever I need to do to guard my territory from interlopers."

Booth sat stunned as he realized what Brennan meant. "Wait...I'm your territory? As in I belong to you?"

Brennan didn't respond to his question. She was too busy glaring at Cam. "I believe it's time for you to depart for New York. Don't bother returning to see if Booth is available, because I can assure you, he won't be." Brennan stepped aside so Cam could go through the door. "I won't say it's been good to see you again...I don't like to lie. But I will say 'have a safe trip.'" Brennan pulled the door closed as Cam stormed out. Brennan turned back to Booth and pointed to his desk. "Now, about the file….the particulates show that the child lived in New Jersey…."

 _I only want to make you happy,_

 _And if you say, 'Hey, go away I will,_

 _But I think better still I'd better stay around and love you._

 _Do you think I have a case? Let me ask you to your face…_

"Bones, that was amazing…." Booth was grinning from ear to ear as he tried to speak in coherent sentences. "I mean, really, really amazing….so you…you really want me in your territory? Jesus, that's wonderful..."

 _Do you think you love me?_

 _I think I love you…._

He was interrupted by a sharp rap on the door frame. "Director Cullen, good morning. You remember Dr. Brennan, right? She's working with me on our Jane Doe case...you know, the little girl whose remains we found in Delaware yesterday."

Cullen nodded to Brennan. "The agency appreciates you giving of your time to fill in as Booth's partner, Dr. Brennan. I know you're usually very busy." He turned back to Booth. "There's someone I need you to meet, Booth." Cullen motioned to the bullpen as a petite blonde woman entered. "This is your new partner...Special Agent Payton Perotta."

 _One more chapter soon..._


	8. Chapter 8

_**The song for this chapter is "I'll Stand by You, written by Chrissie Hynde, Tom Kelly, and Billy Steinberg. No copyright infringement intended.**_

 _When you're standing at the crossroads,_

 _And don't know what path to choose_

 _Let me come along_

' _Cause even if you're wrong,_

 _I'll stand by you._

 _oooooooooo_

"Booth, I want to go to New Jersey with you to interview the suspects, but are you sure it's going to be acceptable to Director Cullen?" Brennan waited anxiously by the passenger door of the SUV, drawing her coat close to protect herself from the cold. "I really don't mind if you take Agent Perotta. I don't want your position to be put in jeopardy because of your partnership with me."

 _Taking Perotta as my partner instead of Bones? Like that's ever gonna happen._ "Of course it's okay. What good is it to be a Special Agent in Charge if I don't have some say so about who my partner's gonna be? Here, jump in…" He unlocked the doors, and they climbed into the SUV quickly, trying to avoid the chilly mix of rain and snow. Booth put a thermos of coffee and small briefcase on the console between them, and turned to smile at Brennan. "Anyway, it's easier to bring you with me than anyone else since you started this investigation with me. By the time I bring Perotta up to speed on it, you might have the whole thing figured out."

"Oh...okay, if it's easier." Brennan grimaced slightly as she buckled herself in. "I'll do whatever I can to help you…but I don't want to be in the way..." _I may not be so willing to help Agent Perotta, however…._

Booth heard the hint of doubt in Brennan's voice, and realized she had misunderstood what he meant. Glancing over his shoulder, Booth pulled the SUV into the early morning traffic and onto the state highway. He turned back to her as they started their trip, trying to reassure her that he wanted her help. "You can be my partner as long as you want to be, Bones. It's up to you, although I hope you want to work as my partner for a long time. That'd be wonderful."

"I would like to close out this case with you, Booth, since we began it together. However, from what little interaction I've had with Agent Perotta, she appears to be quite competent. It seems that she would be an excellent partner. I'm sure she'll be an asset during any sort of investigation." _She'll be an asset as long as she doesn't ever work with Booth….he's MY partner…._

"Yeah, she's had a lot of experience as a field agent, and she's got a good record as far as closing cases goes. She'll definitely be an asset to the Major Crimes division." Booth gave Brennan a sideways glance. "Why all this sudden interest in Agent Perotta? I mean, I know she's new, but we've had five new agents transfer into the office in the last few weeks. DC is considered a prime location for the FBI...lots of people want to work here."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders a bit. "Well, she's supposed to be your new partner, so you'll probably end up spending a lot of time with her. I just wondered if you'll be compatible when you're working together. I know you're adaptable, Booth, and you shouldn't have any trouble adjusting to someone new, but you've had to change partners several times over the last few months. She also seems very interested in you. Based on her interactions with you, it seems that she finds you to be very attractive." _And those types of interactions will not be tolerated…._

"Interactions? What kind of interactions? You really think she's checking me out? That _is_ interesting." Booth nodded, pursing his lips so he wouldn't laugh out loud. Now he knew exactly why Bones wanted to know all about the new partner Director Cullen had assigned to him, and he couldn't be happier. She was jealous of Agent Perotta. _Maybe I can get a little rise out of Bones…_ "Well, I'm not really planning on her being my partner, Bones, since I have you, but I have to admit...Payton is really cute."

"Agent Perotta is indicating her sexual interest in you by the way she licks her lips, flutters her eyelashes, and runs her fingers through her hair when you're around, and she moves her hips suggestively when she walks toward you or away from you." Brennan eyed Booth suspiciously. "And why do you call her Payton? Do you know her well enough to be on a first name basis with her?"

"Yeah, why not? I mean, I call Charlie and Matt by their first names. We don't always call each other 'Agent So and So' at the office. Of course, Sully was Sully, and everybody calls me Booth, but most of the time it's just first names."

"I see." Brennan scowled slightly at Booth. "Do you actually think Agent Perotta is pretty? I know you usually find blondes attractive, but isn't she a little bit short for you? In the past you've seemed to prefer taller women." Brennan crossed her arms across her chest as she stared out the side window of the SUV.

"I don't know...maybe she can wear some special lift shoes or something. Maybe she can be like Agent Scully on the X Files and learn to run in high heels." Booth smirked as he watched Brennan carefully think the situation over. _That little crease in her forehead is so cute...and the way she chews the inside of her lip when she's nervous...I love that…_ He didn't want Bones to be upset...he just wanted to tease her a little bit. Maybe it was a good time to clarify the situation.

"Anyway, Payton transferred to the DC office because her husband got a great new job in Baltimore. She says he's gonna be in partnership with two or three other orthodontists there. I guess she's gonna work until he gets his practice well established, and then she's gonna quit the FBI to have kids and be a stay at home mom."

Brennan tried to hide her smile. She certainly didn't want Booth to think she was jealous, or his alpha male ego would go into overdrive, but she was also relieved to hear that Payton Perotta was married. _Even so, I'm sure she thinks Booth is attractive...most intelligent women would. Perhaps I should remind her that she may look, but not touch..._ "You found out quite a bit about Agent Perotta considering you just met her two days ago."

"That's what special agents do, Bones. You might be surprised….I know a lot of things about you, too...things maybe you don't think I know…."

"Like what?" Brennan's curiosity was piqued. She turned in her seat to see Booth better. She narrowed her eyes as she studied him carefully. "I think you're bluffing, Booth...you merely want me to jump the hook. You couldn't possibly find out anything new about me."

"You mean take the bait?" Booth chuckled as he looked in the rear view mirror. "Oh, Bones...if you only knew! I'm not bluffing, but I'm also not going to tell you everything I know about you. I might need to blackmail you some day. Maybe that's how I'll make sure you stay as my partner...I'll threaten to tell all your deepest, darkest secrets if you leave me." He reached over and patted her knee. "Don't worry...most of your secrets are safe with me…"

"Booth….not the tennis racquet incident...or the tap dancing classes….or that I like to watch vampire movies…"

"I'll never tell." Booth wore a smug smile. "It's my 'keep Bones as my partner' insurance policy, after all…."

"Well, then….I guess I'll just have to find out secrets about you, too, Booth. Two can play that game…" She smirked as she looked at her partner. "I can't wait to find out all your secrets. I might have to use my superior intellect and my feminine wiles, but I'll know everything about you when I'm done."

 _God...I'm really looking forward to that…._ the thought of Bones using her intellect and her feminine wiles on him as she tried to figure out his secrets was making Booth's temperature rise as he squirmed in his seat, and they still had a long drive ahead of them. Maybe it was time to change the subject. "So does Agent Andy ever get to have any hot detectives chase him around while he's working with Kathy? He might like that…." Booth twitched his eyebrows at Brennan.

"Booth!" Brennan rolled her eyes at him. "Andy has too much work to do with Kathy. He doesn't have time for hot detectives…."

ooooooooooo

 _Let me see you through_

' _Cause I've seen the dark side, too…._

 _...I'll stand by you._

They drove for an hour through the wintry mix of rain and snow, laughing and talking about the latest exploits of Kathy and Andy in Brennan's new book, when Booth noticed the time on the dashboard clock and gestured toward the briefcase. "We'd better go over the file again while we're on the way there. It's gonna be a good hour until we get to Gloucester City...maybe longer if the weather keeps up like this, so let's use the time to get prepared. I wanna nail these two animals if they did what we think they did."

Brennan pulled out the file and read the newest information out loud. "A woman named Marilyn Sheehan called the Gloucester City, New Jersey, police department yesterday after seeing a spot on a local news station about an unidentified child's body being found." Holding up the sketch Angela had made, Brennan continued. "Mrs. Sheehan was worried that the little girl in the sketch might be her five year old granddaughter." Brennan smoothed out the copy of Angela's drawing. "Angela is really very good at this...the Angelatron gives her a general picture, and she can add details that bring it to life. Anyway, Mrs. Sheehan said the drawing looked like her granddaughter Bridget, except for a few details we couldn't know about because of the advanced state of decomposition in the remains."

"What kind of details? I mean, the bones can give you most of the important stuff, right?" Booth cocked his head as he considered what Brennan was telling him. "So what did Angela miss?"

"Bridget has a very large port wine stain birthmark covering over 85 percent of the left half of her face and neck. We would have no way of knowing that because it's a skin condition, and unfortunately, there was almost no soft tissue left with the remains. Mrs. Sheehan told the police that she hadn't seen the child for several weeks. Her daughter had said that Bridget had been quite ill, so she had to stay away from interacting other people."

"So it's possible that Bridget had been dead all that time….Jesus...so what about the daughter? What does the file say about her?"

"Maureen Sheehan is living with a man who is not Bridget's father...Sean Kelly. The biological father has been out of the picture for years. Sean Kelly is currently unemployed, and Maureen works evenings as a waitress in a popular local nightclub. Kelly was supposed to stay with Bridget while Maureen was at work." Brennan leafed through the papers in the file. "According to the grandmother, the club where Maureen works had done a fundraiser so that Bridget could have her birthmark reduced using laser surgery. The birthmark was large and it was going to be an expensive and delicate surgery to remove it. The family had no insurance, but the man who owns the bar was fond of the little girl, and wanted to do something to help the family. He held a fundraiser, and the club patrons raised over ten thousand dollars to pay for Bridget's surgery. If they had any money left it was to be put in a savings account for Bridget's college education."

Booth inhaled sharply and bit his lower lip, trying to control himself. He swore under his breath as he realized what had probably occurred. "So, here's what happened, right? Bridget dies, and the parents use the surgery money for something else…." He couldn't finish his sentence. Angry tears stung his eyes as he looked over at Brennan, and she nodded in agreement. He inhaled deeply calm himself. "And they just threw her away…."

 _Tears are in your eyes._

 _Come on and come to me now._

 _Don't be ashamed to cry…._

… _.I'll stand by you._

"That was what the grandmother postulated, also. Marilyn Sheehan is afraid that her daughter's boyfriend murdered the child and then they used the money meant for Bridget's surgery to purchase methamphetamines. Gloucester City is on the Delaware River, and Sean Kelly has a large boat, so he could easily dispose of the little girl's body in the river, and it could've ended up on the Delaware shore…" Brennan closed the file and looked back at Booth. "Most of the evidence we have right now against Maureen Sheehan and Sean Kelly is circumstantial. We also don't know for certain if the skeleton at the lab is definitely Bridget Sheehan. We'll need DNA samples, particulates, clothing and hair samples from the home..."

"The remains may not be Bridget's, but it doesn't make any difference, I suppose...either way it looks like those monsters murdered their kid." Booth gripped the steering wheel tightly as anger washed over him. "The local cops are supposed to be handling retrieval of DNA samples and other forensic evidence from the residence using FBI protocols. They did a welfare check at the home, but the child wasn't there, and since the couple couldn't explain where she was, the police were able to arrest the couple on neglect and endangerment charges, but it's a weak case at best since there wasn't any actual evidence of foul play. They want me to do the interrogation since the FBI is handling the identification of the remains with your lab."

 _So if you're mad, get mad._

 _Don't hold it all inside…_

 _Come on and talk to me now._

… _.I'll stand by you._

A look of sympathy crossed Brennan's face as she watched Booth struggle to control his anger and pain. "Booth...are you sure it's a good idea for you to do the interrogation of this couple? You might be too emotionally invested, because…"

"Because of Parker. Yeah, I know…" He reached over and covered Brennan's hand with his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I know. But I'm trained as a professional interrogator, and I know how to control my emotions….most of the time. And when I have trouble the rest of the time, you're going to be there for me, Bones...you'll support me...you'll keep me grounded...you'll make me strong. That's why you're the perfect partner for me. No one else can support me like that…not like you do."

"Booth…" Brennan blushed a bit as she looked out the side window.

"I'm serious. You're perfect for me. I'd never trust anyone as much as I trust you...if you see me slipping in my self control, you'll tell me, and I'll listen." He glanced over at Brennan, wondering if she understood the depth of his feelings. "I care about what you think of me, Bones, and I don't want to do anything that would jeopardize our relationship. You know that, right?"

She looked back at him and sighed softly. _I wish I could express what I'm feeling for him right now, but it's overwhelming...he trusts me that much? He loves me that much?..._ "Yes, I know. I'll always be there for you, Booth...I'll make sure you stay focused on being in control of your emotions . Excess anger would be a detriment to your success in this situation…." The ringing of her phone interrupted her.

"Brennan...yes. I see. Yes, I think we can get a sample. Please run a cross section of the bone and look for any toxins, especially methamphetamines, that might still be present….yes. Okay." Brennan finished the call and bit her lower lip, wishing she could be almost anywhere else at that exact moment…

"What?" Booth looked over at her. "That was the lab, right? Hodgins and Zach? So what's going on?"

Brennan sighed as she focused on the road ahead. "It was Hodgins. He wants us to get some samples of the river water while we're there, and he suggested that the police department look at the suspects' shoes and their boat."

"Okay…." Booth shifted his eyes to the road, and then back to Brennan. There was something else...something she didn't want to tell him. "Why does he want water samples, Bones?"

"The bones still had some marrow present so Hodgins tested it for microorganisms called diatoms, which live in bodies of water. Diatoms can only enter the marrow if the deceased person was breathing when they entered the water, because they come in through the lungs and out to other parts of the body through the bloodstream. If we can match the type of diatoms in the bones with the river and also with the suspects' belongings it's another way we can link them together forensically."

"So the little girl in the lab…she was alive when she went in the water?"

"Yes. She drowned, Booth."

"Son of a bitch...who would do that?"

"Based on the microfractures I found on the sutures of the frontal and parietal bones, she was hit on the top of her head by a blunt object with sufficient force to render her unconscious. Whoever put her body in the river may have thought she was already dead."

"That really doesn't make it better…"

"I know, Booth…."

 _Take me in, in your darkest hour_

 _And I'll never desert you._

… _.I'll stand by you._

They rode in silence for several miles as they both tried to comprehend what had happened to the small child in the lab who was still waiting for an identity. Finally Booth spoke again.

"I know you're trying to do everything you can to solve this case, Bones, even though it hurts, and I know you won't give up until you do. You know I'm not angry at you, right? I'm angry that someone hurt that little girl."

"Yes." She nodded as she watched snowflakes melt and run down the windshield as they sped along. "I know you're upset about the case, not about me." She hesitated for a few seconds before she continued. "It might make you feel better if I tell you that I don't think she struggled, Booth...I don't think she was scared. I'm confident that we'll find who did this to the girl in the lab, Booth, even if she isn't Bridget Sheehan….and if that isn't Bridget in the lab, we'll find out what happened to Bridget as well..."

 _Won't let nobody hurt you…._

… _.I'll stand by you._

Booth glanced at the dashboard clock again as his phone rang. "They're probably wondering where we are…Booth...Yes, Detective Tonelli...we're almost there….30 minutes, I think. Really? That's interesting. Hey, did any of your guys take water samples down at the river? Okay, let us know when we get there. Thanks." He put his phone back in his jacket pocket. "Maureen Sheehan and Sean Kelly have separate lawyers, so we're gonna have to interview them separately. I'm sorry...it may be later than I expected when we get back tonight, especially if the snow gets heavier." _If we can even get back tonight...I hope we don't have to sleep in the SUV...maybe we can get some rooms...or maybe one room….don't wanna waste the taxpayers' money, do we?_

"I didn't have plans for this evening, Booth. I knew this might be a long day." _Getting home late at night with Booth….perhaps it will be too late for him to drive any further than my apartment…_

"Detective Tonelli said they got us some sandwiches for lunch, but I can stop and get you a salad if you want. I guess the good news is that Tonelli says that Sheehan and Kelly are both wanting to know if they can cut a deal if they rat on the other one. So we just gotta figure out what happened to their little girl, and then see if that's her in the lab."

"That's all?" In spite of the gravity of the situation, Brennan had to laugh. "Just another day at work, right, Booth?"

"When I'm with you, Bones, it's not just another day. You make every day special." Feeling like he sounded a bit sappy, Booth cleared his throat and scowled a little bit, but when he saw the confused look on Brennan's face he winked at her and smiled enough to show a dimple. "Gotta get my game face on. Ready to go take down some slime balls, Bones?"

"Yes! Are we going to roast them, Booth? I'm ready." Brennan put the file back in order and slipped it into the briefcase. "Let's smash some slime balls."

"Grill them, Bones...we're gonna grill them. Yeah...let's go smash some slime balls."

 _Nothing you confess_

 _Could make me love you less…_

 _I'll stand by you._

 _oooooooooo_

 _A/N: I know you all may be thinking...where's the good stuff? Well, my imagination ran wild, and I had a hard time controlling it. If it cooperates better this week, we may have some smoochies next chapter. Thanks for the nice comments so far...feel free to review._


	9. Chapter 9

**_The song for this chapter is "When I Fall in Love" by Nat King Cole. No copyright infringement intended._**

 _When I fall in love, it will be forever,_

 _Or I'll never fall in love…._

Booth stood quietly looking out the window of Detective Tonelli's office, watching as the large snowflakes slowly drifted by in the late afternoon twilight. A little over two weeks ago, on a snowy evening very much like this one, his life had finally taken a turn for the better when he ran into Bones at the grocery store on Christmas Eve. In the two weeks that followed he'd fallen in love with her all over again, and now he knew his future would be inexorably entwined with hers. It was clear to him that they belonged together forever. He'd never been more certain of anything in his life.

Now all that was left was for him to convince her of that...he glanced over to where Bones was talking with Detective Tonelli, going over some small point of forensic evidence with her. She was focused on what she was doing, her face a study in concentration, until she looked up at him to see what he was doing. Their eyes met and she gave him that brilliant smile, taking his breath away once again. It was like they were the only two people in the room….just like it had always been with her. He was sure she had felt it, too...the electricity...the connection between their souls. Did she realize her smile made him weak in the knees? That he'd do anything for her? That he felt bound to her forever?

He suddenly realized he must be blushing as he felt his temperature rise in response to his thoughts about Bones. Sheepishly remembering that he had a job to do, Booth walked over to the detective's desk to see what they were discussing. Detective Tonelli shook her head, unconvinced. "Even with Sean Kelly's confession about how he dumped Bridget's body in the river, we still don't have enough evidence to convict Maureen Sheehan of murder. She admits she was high on meth all that day, and she claims she doesn't remember anything that happened on the evening that Bridget disappeared. She insists that Sean was often violent and abusive towards her and her daughter, and that he must have been the one who killed the little girl. We don't have the actual murder weapon or any other direct evidence that ties Maureen to Bridget's death except Sean Kelly's description of what happened, and truthfully, all we have on Sean is what Maureen thinks may have happened. And since we don't know for sure if the remains in your lab are actually Bridget Sheehan, Dr. Brennan, we really don't have much of anything we can use to hold them in custody much longer, other than the fact that they never reported Bridget as missing."

Brennan clenched her jaw, obviously annoyed. She knew that Detective Tonelli was correct about the lack of evidence for a murder conviction, but she wasn't ready to give up yet. "Did your forensics team look for blood splatter in the kitchen? Have they checked all of Ms. Sheehan's clothes and shoes for blood evidence? If Maureen hit Bridget on the head with a cast iron skillet in the manner that Sean described, there would be blood evidence left behind, and it would be difficult to remove…."

"The forensics techs are working the scene at the house again, but Sean Kelly says he bundled up the skillet, Maureen's clothes, shoes, and everything they used to clean up the blood into the same large plastic trash bag that they used for Bridget's body. He weighed it with several bricks and dumped it all into the river about 15 miles downstream from the marina."

"Have your dive teams searched the banks of the river, and the river bed in that area? You might be able to find those things…" Brennan glared fiercely as she stood with her hands on her hips, daring Detective Tonelli to challenge her.

"Dr. Brennan, we don't have the manpower to conduct a search on the river like that unless we know for sure that it's going to lead to something useful in a case. If you find out that the remains in your lab are Bridget, we may be able to justify the time and expense. You have the DNA samples we collected, so hopefully you'll find out something soon…"

Booth interrupted Brennan as she started to argue more vehemently. "It's okay, Bones...just a minute." He lightly placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled faintly as she turned her glare to him. "Detective Tonelli, because the remains we found in Delaware were of a child, and because it appears that the child's body crossed state lines, the FBI can take over jurisdiction and ask the lab at the Jeffersonian to assist your department in the search for evidence in the river and the recovery of that evidence. Dr. Brennan, do you think Dr. Hodgins would be willing to assist the FBI in leading that effort?" He nodded slightly at Brennan, silently urging her to agree with him.

She pursed her lips and nodded back at him. "I believe so, Agent Booth. I'll call him immediately and ask him to make the arrangements. He could probably begin as soon as the weather clears."

Booth looked back at Tonelli. "Will that be acceptable to you, Detective?" His tone of voice made it clear she had no choice.

Detective Tonelli was obviously irritated about her investigation being usurped by the FBI, but she realized she had to comply with what seemed to be a reasonable request. "That will be satisfactory, Agent Booth. Our police department will offer any assistance you require." She slid her lower lip between her teeth as she watched uniform officers escort Sean Kelly and Maureen Sheehan from the interrogation rooms toward the holding cells. "Please ask your team to work quickly, Dr. Brennan. I can probably hold those two on child neglect charges for a few more days, based on the fact that we don't know where Bridget is at this time, but without more evidence…."

"We understand. Dr. Brennan will call her associate as soon as we leave today to make the arrangements. Is there anything else, Detective?"

"I don't think so, Agent Booth. We appreciate your input. Your interrogation skills are impressive." The detective extended her hand to Brennan. "Thank you both for your time. I'm hopeful that if we work together we can find out the truth about what happened to Bridget Sheehan."

Brennan nodded and smiled as she shook the detective's hand. "That's what we want as well. We'll be in touch."

oooooooooo

 _In a restless world like this is,_

 _Love is ended before it's begun,_

 _And too many moonlight kisses_

 _Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun._

They drove for an hour in pensive silence, considering all of the information they had gathered in their interviews that day, until Booth decided it was time to discuss the case with his partner. "You're being awfully quiet, Bones. Whatcha thinking about?" He glanced over at Brennan, who sat with her hands folded in her lap, staring out the passenger window. The scenery was a black blur as they sped through the night on their way back to DC. The snow had almost stopped, but rain still trickled slowly down the windshield.

"I was thinking about Sean Kelly's confession. Do you think he killed Bridget or did he just dispose of her body?"

Booth thought it over for a minute before shaking his head. "I think he probably tried to help Maureen by cleaning up the crime scene after Maureen killed Bridget, but he's probably not the killer."

Brennan tilted her head and furrowed her brow as she tried to follow Booth's logic. "How did you arrive at that conclusion, Booth? I sat through both interrogations with you, and I have no idea what really happened…is this your 'gut' at work again?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. I know that Maureen couldn't wait to point the finger at Sean, blaming him for everything that happened and saying he was an abuser, but she didn't seem angry enough when she talked about what she thought he had done to Bridget, in my opinion. She seemed too calm for a parent who had just lost a child to an act of violence. It was more like she wanted to give him up to save her own skin. When Sean talked about what Maureen did, he kept saying it wasn't really her fault, that she had been high, you know...saying things like he knew she didn't mean to do it, that the meth had caused her to do bad things, that she was on a bad trip, and that Bridget was a difficult child."

Brennan chewed on the inside of her cheek as she considered what Booth was saying. "I still don't know what that means…"

"It means that Sean loves Maureen deeply, and he'd be willing to do anything to help her, including getting rid of her daughter's body after she murdered the little girl. The fact that he let Maureen continue to blame him, and that he told his lawyer that he'd confess if we left Maureen alone, tells me that she did it, and he's still trying to cover for her."

Shaking her head, Brennan turned to look out the window again. "Love makes people do stupid things, doesn't it?"

"Stupid things? Really? Stupid things?" He gave Brennan a sideways glance, glaring at her as he shook his head. "You mean like a guy trying to help someone by spending weeks figuring out what happened to her mother, or like a guy trying to figure out where someone's father has disappeared to or whether or not her father has committed a murder? Or a guy flying out to the New Mexico desert because someone's friend needs help finding her dead boyfriend, or maybe like when he flies to New Orleans because someone loses the memory of an entire day after she's been attacked and then the guy risks his career by concealing evidence that she was at the crime scene? Or maybe like a guy trying to dig someone out of six feet of dirt with his bare hands after worrying all night because someone was kidnapped and might suffocate before he can find her?" Booth stared out the windshield grimly as his trembling hands gripped the steering wheel. "Or a guy telling the woman he loves to leave with someone else if it makes her happy? You're right. Those are all stupid things, Bones, but that's what people in love do...they do anything they can to make the person they love happy, because that's all that matters to them. Nothing else is as important as the one they love."

Brennan sat quietly for a few minutes watching Booth, stunned by his angry tirade. He was right...how else could she logically explain everything he'd done for her? She found that it pleased her very much to think that he loved her like that…. "I'm sorry, Booth. I didn't mean that you were stupid…" She reached over and rubbed his shoulder affectionately. "You know how much I appreciate the guy who did those things for that someone, right?"

He grinned a bit as he turned to her again. _I never could stay mad at her for long…_ "Yeah, I know you do...I guess I'm just tired, so I'm being oversensitive."

"I think maybe I wasn't being sensitive enough, Booth." He nodded slightly as he looked out the side window. Apology accepted. Brennan sighed as she considered the case again. "I guess we have to accept that we may never know exactly what happened to our little girl in the lab, even if she is Bridget Sheehan. Anything that Sean Kelly threw in the river may be long gone by now…"

"Well, we're gonna exhaust every possibility, right? We'll get Hodgins to lead a search on the river, looking for evidence. We won't give up until we know we've done everything we can…we can start again tomorrow and look at everything again."

"You're right…" She nodded. "We'll do the best we can to get justice for her."

"Right." Booth smiled as he squeezed Brennan's hand. "Hey, we're gonna be back in town in about 45 minutes. It's kinda late...do you wanna grab some take out before I take you home? Maybe some late night Thai?"

"I think Wong Foo's sounds better, although I have a few leftovers in my refrigerator that we could have if you wanted…"

"Well, I'm really hungry...maybe we can have some of both." He nodded toward the clock. "Man, it's gonna be a late night. Maybe you should call Dr. Goodman and tell him that you're gonna be in late tomorrow…"

"Why? How much are you planning to eat?" Brennan grinned at him. "You're right, though. Being gone all day for work like this wears me out." She laughed as she yawned a bit. "It does sound nice to sleep in tomorrow. What about you?"

"I already made arrangements with Cullen for a few hours of comp time tomorrow morning. I don't have to be in until after lunch."

"Lucky you." Brennan called Dr. Goodman and left a message saying she'd be in late the next morning. "I'm sure it'll be okay...he's busy trying to identify some ancient Hittite remains. He probably won't even notice I'm gone."

"Good...then we can take our time over dinner tonight." Booth smirked as he winked at Brennan. "I hate to rush through my moo goo gai pan…."

oooooooooo

It was 10:30 PM when they finally arrived at Brennan's apartment. Brennan hung up their coats and gestured toward the kitchen. "Why don't you set the food out and get us some beers. I'm going to go change clothes. I'll be right back." She grinned as she disappeared into her bedroom.

Loosening his tie, Booth moved into the kitchen, laying out the boxes of Chinese food on the kitchen table. He opened the refrigerator, and took out some beers, trying to find the leftovers Bones had mentioned, and then bumped his head when he was surprised by the soft voice behind him. "Anything interesting in there?" He spun around and came face to face with Bones, comfortably dressed in a loose tee shirt and yoga pants. "Here, I found these...I hope they fit. You must want to change clothes, too."

"Thanks, Bones, but I don't think I wear the same size as you…." He picked up the large black tee shirt. "FBI? Who did you steal this from? And men's sweatpants? You've been holding out on me…."

She smiled demurely. "I find it useful to keep spare articles of clothing for unexpected guests. You don't have to change, but I thought you'd be more comfortable."

He grinned broadly. "I'll be right back."

oooooooooo

 _When I give my heart, it will be completely,_

 _Or I'll never give my heart._

Booth and Brennan laughed and talked as they ate Chinese food and leftover vegetable lasagne. "General Tso's chicken, Hunan beef, and lasagne is a strange combination, Booth. I hope you don't upset your stomach."

"Nah...I can eat almost anything if I can drink a beer with it. Hey, want some more fried rice?"

"No, I think I've had enough. Go ahead and finish it if you want…"

He grinned as he held out a cellophane wrapper for her. "I'm about done with everything, so now it's fortune cookie time. Here's yours, Bones. So the rule is you read it out loud, and add the words 'in bed' after it. That makes it come true..."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, Booth...they print millions of these little slips, and insert them randomly into cookies." She saw his merry smile and decided it couldn't hurt.

She cracked open the cookie and read the slip to herself. 'Don't worry. Everything you need is close at hand.' ... _in bed...oh my God..._ Brennan couldn't keep from blushing as she noticed Booth watching her intently. "What does yours say, Booth?

"Nope, not until you tell me what yours says….you show me yours and I'll show you mine…." He winked impishly and twitched his eyebrows at her.

"Oh, okay, here." Brennan handed the little slip of paper to him. "Now, let me see yours…

'Be patient. Everything happens eventually.' "In bed?" she squealed as Booth laughed out loud. "In your dreams, Booth."

"You're right, Bones...always in my dreams." Booth held up his beer in a mock toast and laughed.

They each got another beer, and moved to the sofa. Brennan shifted in her seat so she could look at Booth. "May I ask you something?"

 _Jesus...now what?_ "I guess...ask away, Bones."

She paused, choosing her words carefully. "Did you really tell Cam that you loved her?"

 _I guess it was only a matter of time before that came up._ Booth felt his stomach flip over, wondering where this was leading. He exhaled slowly before answering her. "Yes, I did. When we were dating, I told her that I loved her, because I thought I did love her, but I was wrong. By the time I realized I had made a mistake...that I loved you instead...you were already making plans to leave with Sully, so I decided to let you go, and I tried to make the best of it with Cam. I didn't want to be the kind of guy that pined for the woman who got away, but it didn't work...I couldn't live with lying to her any more, so Cam and I had to go our separate ways."

"I see." Brennan concentrated on picking the label off her beer bottle. "I told Sully I loved him, Booth."

"Well, that makes sense since you decided to move away with him to live on his boat." Booth clenched his jaw and tried to remain calm. That was in the past….

"I thought so, too, but I think that's the only reason I told him that...because it was expected by society. I thought that must have been what I was feeling, but now I believe I was incorrect. Being with him was like being on vacation for three months. It was fun, but there was nothing more...no depth, no growth…" Brennan raised her eyes to look at Booth. "It was a lot different than this thing between us…the feeling that I have now is...I don't know..." Suddenly embarrassed, she turned away from Booth, rose from the sofa, and walked into the kitchen, busying herself with picking up the empty Chinese food boxes and putting away leftovers.

"How?" Booth stood behind Brennan, and whispered in her ear. "How is it different, Bones?" He put his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder.

She felt a little shiver run through her body as his warm breath tickled her ear. Smiling, she turned to face him, her eyes lingering on his lips as he place a hand on either side of her, bracing himself on the kitchen counter. He was so close...his warm, masculine scent enveloped her as he gazed into her eyes, licking his lips as he moved even closer to her. Her heart began to beat wildly...she was sure he could hear it pounding. "With you, Booth, I feel….complete. I can be me...just exactly like I am. It feels so natural to stand here with you like this...like I'd never need anything more...but…" She glanced down at her hands as they rested on his chest.

"But what?" Booth caressed her cheek gently with his fingertips and brushed her hair away from her eyes. "Are you afraid that you might get hurt?" She was so close...he saw the flush of her skin and felt her warmth...God, he wanted her so badly...

Brennan pinched her lips together as she looked into his warm brown eyes. "I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose, but I'm not very good at relationships, and I might hurt you…"

"Bones, hush..." He tilted her face upwards and kissed her lips gently. "You're not bad at relationships. You just haven't had the right relationship yet." He kissed her again, more passionately this time, his tongue wanting to taste her sweetness as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "I'm gonna help you fix that little problem."

"Are you sure?" Brennan put her arms around Booth's neck and kissed him tenderly before she spoke again. "I can be very difficult..."

"What? Dr. Brennan can be difficult?" He laughed as she ran her hands gently over his broad shoulders and muscular arms. "Guess what...Agent Booth can be difficult, too. Just ask Rebecca, Tessa, or Cam. C'mere." He led Brennan back to the sofa. "Sit here with me for a minute." She curled up next to him, sitting in the crook of his arm as he rubbed her shoulders and rested his chin on her head. "It's gonna take some work, okay? Both of us are strong willed people, and we're gonna argue sometimes. But I promise you, I'm gonna make my relationship with you my number one priority."

Brennan looked up at Booth and smiled. "I'm willing to work at that as well, but maybe not right now…right now I want some pleasure instead..." She gave him another kiss and straddled him, a knee on either side of his hips as she sat on his lap. He groaned slightly as he felt his body responding to her...her gentle sway against his hips as she kissed and caressed him felt so good…"God, Bones…" He shifted in his seat, turning to lay back on the couch with her on top of him, stretched out over him, her breasts gently grazing against his chest. He looked up into her beautiful blue eyes and smiled, stroking her hair. "You're so beautiful...I just want to make love to you all night long…" Reaching under her tee shirt he tenderly caressed the bare skin of her back and abdomen as he kissed her lips again. "I want to feel you next to me, Bones. God, I love you so much…" His lips moved down her jaw and throat as his hands brushed over her breasts. She arched her back and leaned towards him, moaning with pleasure as he pulled her hips closer so she could feel his arousal. "I'm never gonna let you go, Bones...you're gonna be mine always…"

Brennan smiled as she planted tender kisses on Booth's lips and then caressed his cheek gently as she looked into his eyes. "Booth... I need to feel you next to me...closer to me..." She rose from the couch and took his hand. "We'll be so much more comfortable in my bedroom…I want you to stay with me tonight….please...I love you, Booth….come make love to me, Booth…"

Booth stood up and, kissing her, gently picked her up so her legs could wrap around his hips. He carried his love back to her bedroom and lay her on her bed. She smiled, admiring his muscular body as he turned to remove the tee shirt and sweatpants he had borrowed. It was a good thing she had called to let them know she'd be late for work in the morning….but she doubted that she'd be sleeping in….

 _And the moment I can feel that you feel that way, too…_

 _Is when I'll fall in love with you….._

 _A/N: my apologies for the epic length of this chapter. With my imagination running amok and the need for our heroes to have some romance, I got carried away. I hope it wasn't too cumbersome. More soon..._


	10. Chapter 10

_**The songs in this chapter are "Happy Together" by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon, and "And I Love Her" by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. NO copyright infringement intended.**_

 _Imagine me and you...I do._

 _I think about you day and night._

 _It's only right_

 _To think about the girl you love,_

 _And hold her tight…_

 _So happy together._

The soft glow of early morning streamed through the bedroom window and washed across the tangled sheets. Booth groaned as he stretched a bit. Rolling over, he glanced at the clock on the nightstand. _8:30!_ _I'm late!...no..wait...I don't have to be at work until after lunch...yeah, that's right..._ He snuggled down into the pillow and grinned, hoping to recapture the wonderful dream he'd been having. He closed his eyes, trying to go back to sleep... _back to me and Bones together...all night long… wow…"_ It was incredible, and so real...he felt almost as tired as if he'd stayed up all night. He pulled the sheets up over himself, thoroughly relaxed...and then his eyes flew open. He rolled over to look at the clock again...that wasn't his clock...this was not his bedroom, not his bed...a quick glance beneath the sheets…"Damn...where are my boxers?" It wasn't a dream...there he was... naked, sleeping in her bed... _what about the rest of it? Making love with Bones all night long? Please, God, tell me that really happened…._

He sat up as he heard the sound of water running in the bathroom. "Bones?"

She stood in the bathroom doorway, smiling as she dried her hair with a towel, the belt holding her bathrobe in place loosely tied around her waist. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to wake you. Did you sleep well?"

"Why are you up already? I thought you were gonna sleep in." He ran his fingers through his hair and yawned. "It's only 8:30...you've still got a couple of hours 'til you have to be at work…"

"Well, Hodgins called about 7:45 to let me know he and the FBI techs were leaving this morning for Gloucester City to search the river for remains, and then I couldn't go back to sleep, so I decided to get ready for the day." She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed next to Booth, regarding him primly. She pursed her lips as she began her interrogation. "So, Agent Booth...the truth now...when you suggested that I call Dr. Goodman to tell him I would be late for work this morning, was that part of your plan to seduce me last night?"

"Wait...what? NO, of course not! I would never…"

Brennan arched her eyebrow and gave him a sly smile. "You were very convincing, you know...telling me we could stay up all night making love and then I could sleep in this morning since I'd already called to say I'd be late today….you knew I'd fall for your charm smile and sad puppy eyes, and that those two weapons used together would render me quite incapable of ignoring your faulty logic. You're a bad man, Seeley Booth…"

"C'mon, Bones….you know I'd never do anything like that…" He grinned as her smile grew wider. "Okay, maybe that was a small part of it. I was hopeful that we could spend some 'quality time' together, you know, talking and stuff like that...but it's not like I set out to try to 'get lucky.' As I remember, you weren't complaining about our quality time together last night, now were you? In fact, you enjoyed it every bit as much as I did." He noticed the tantalizing view offered by her loosened robe, and he gestured toward her. "Hey, you're too far away from me. I need you to come a bit closer….there we go. I don't really think you need this robe, do you?" He pulled on the belt of the robe, untying it and causing the sides of the robe to fall open. "Let's see if we can just slip this bulky old robe down over your shoulders a bit."

"I was cold after I got out of the shower." She giggled as she pretended to pull the robe closed. "It's a bit drafty in here. I better put on my flannel pajamas before I go make breakfast."

"Nope. No flannel pjs, no robe...you don't need any of that stuff…" Booth playfully tugged at her arm, laughing as she pretended to protest. He made a show of pretending to pout until she relented and crawled into bed next to him. "I'm gonna keep you warm, Bones. In fact, I'm gonna make your temperature rise into the hot range." He rolled over on top of her and started to plant kisses along her earlobe and down her jaw. "And I'm then gonna keep going, and you're gonna feel like you're on fire...on fire for me…" He continued down her throat and breasts, kissing, stroking, and gently nipping her flushed skin as he went, enjoying the sound of her moans and gasps as she began to undulate against him. "And then...we'll both have to quench that fire together in the shower, right? I can't wait…"

"Booth…" Brennan let his name escape from her lips as a breathy gasp…"Oh, God, Booth….that's wonderful…a shower sounds perfect…"

He gave her a slightly wicked grin. "And we might even have time for lunch before we have to go to work…"

She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close for a passionate kiss. "With the way I'm feeling right now, I don't care if I ever eat again, as long as you make love to me like this…I don't want to talk about lunch right now..."

"Your wish is my command...c'mere….I need a little more lovin' from you...God, Bones...I love you so much…"

oooooooooo

 _If I should call you up, invest a dime,_

 _And you say you belong to me,_

 _And ease my mind_

 _Imagine how the world could be_

 _So very fine…_

 _So happy together…._

It was nearly noon when Booth and Brennan entered the diner. They found their favorite spot by the window and smiled at the waitress who brought their coffee and menus to them. Booth smiled broadly across the table and winked at Brennan. "Just another day, right?"

"I find that I do feel slightly nervous, Booth. I know, logically, that no one can look at us and perceive that we've added a sexual component to our relationship, but I still feel a bit awkward…"

"Bones!", Booth hissed. "Lower your voice!"

"Why? People have sex every day, Booth. It's a perfectly normal biological function..." Suddenly a frightening thought crossed Brennan's mind. "Are you embarrassed because we engaged in intercourse? Are you ashamed of me? I'm sorry, Booth…"

He rolled his eyes and smiled. _She's so cute..._ "Of course I'm not ashamed of you. Don't be silly, Bones. I love you...you know that...I just think we need to be discreet until I talk to Cullen."

"You said you didn't give a damn about what Cullen said…"

"Well, I don't, really, but he is my boss, and I want to be the person to tell him about the change in the nature of our relationship. I don't want him to hear it through the FBI grapevine…."

They paused while the waitress brought them their meal. "I don't know what that means, Booth...a grapevine? Plants don't talk…"

"Gossip, Bones...I need to be the one who tells him first. I don't want him to hear it second hand. He won't care...he's a practical man. Cullen just wants his cases solved. But...in case he does get some heat from the guys above him in the chain of command, I think we can work it out where Perotta and me can be partners but we'll still be able to come to the Jeffersonian for your assistance…"

Brennan glared at Booth and then studied her salad. "I'm not sure I like the idea of Agent Perotta working so closely with you, Booth…"

"Aw, that's sweet, Bones...are you jealous over me?" Booth laughed as she smiled shyly. "Come on...you know she doesn't hold a candle to you, Bones...and it probably won't be an issue anyway. Like I said, Cullen probably won't care, but he has to hear it from me first." He smiled, watching her as he ate some french fries. "So what are you gonna tell Angela?"

"About what...oh, you mean...about us?" Brennan wrinkled her nose as she sipped her coffee. "Why would I have to tell her anything? I'll just go to work and see if she's compared her drawing to any other possible missing children cases…"

"C'mon, Bones...think about it. She knows you were with me all day yesterday, and you're going into work late today. You know she's practically psychic about stuff like this…"

"There's no such thing as a psychic…."

"Okay, then let's say she has excellent powers of observation….but she's gonna know we've slept together...you can count on that…"

"Perhaps I can tell her there's nothing to discuss…" Brennan smiled demurely. "I could just downplay the whole experience...I can tell her it was nothing special…"

"WHAT?! NOTHING SPECIAL?" Booth blushed a bit as the crowd at the diner turned to look at him. Speaking in a hushed tone, he began again. "What do you mean, nothing special…3 orgasms this morning is nothing special?"

Brennan shook her head and laughed at his alpha male vanity on display. "I'm joking, Booth. Of course the sex was spectacular, both last night and this morning. You're recovery rate is quite impressive, and I can't wait to tell Angela how talented you are with your tongue. I'm sure she'll be very envious…."

"Bones…seriously…" He grimaced at the thought of Angela knowing everything about his sexual techniques. "Maybe you don't need to give her a play by play description...maybe just the basic stuff, you know? She doesn't have to know all of it…"

"Angela's my best friend, Booth...we talk about everything...but I'll be discreet. I won't bring our relationship up, and if she asks any probing questions, I'll deflect. Will that be satisfactory?"

Booth nodded as he reached to answer his phone. "Booth…"

He'd just begun his conversation when Brennan's phone rang, also. "Brennan…" She reached over to steal french fries from Booth's plate as she listened. "Okay…" she sighed. "Thanks, Hodgins."

Booth stared out the window as he waited for Brennan to finish her call. "That was Detective Tonelli, Bones. They had to release Maureen Sheehan and Sean Kelly from custody this morning. They didn't have enough probable cause to hold them any longer."

"I know...that was Hodgins. So far the dive team hasn't found anything in the river. They set up a grid pattern about 5 miles either side of where Kelly thinks he disposed of the body, but it's really slow going. They've been trying to use a fish locator to narrow their search, but they've come up empty. They haven't found anything on the riverbanks, either."

"When will the DNA tests be done?"

"It'll take a couple of days, even if they rush it. By then, Maureen and Sean could be in Canada…" Brennan shook her head in disgust. "This makes me so angry, Booth...they might get away with killing that little girl, and there's nothing we can do about it…"

"I know...but let's see what the DNA tells us first. We're still in the game. I don't think they're gonna get away. Detective Tonelli doesn't strike me as someone who gives up easily. I bet she's gonna have 24 hour surveillance on them, and if they even sneeze funny she'll haul them in, you know?" Booth reached over to hold Brennan's hand. "Together, you and me...we're a great team. It's gonna take a lot more than Maureen and Sean to beat us, right?"

Brennan smiled as she squeezed Booth's hand. "You're right. I love you, Booth…."

"I love you, too." He glanced at his watch. "I have to be at work soon. Let's go, and I'll drop you off at the lab."

"Alright. Would you like to come over for dinner this evening? I think there's still some Hunan beef and some lasagne."

"Nope. Tonight I want you to come to my apartment for dinner. I'm gonna make my speciality: Spaghetti Marinara a la Booth. My grammy was part Italian, and she made the best spaghetti…"

"And what will we have for dessert?" Brennan reached over to pat Booth's butt as she wore a naughty smile. "Something sweet, I hope."

"I'm sure we can think of something. Maybe we should stop by your apartment on the way over to mine to pick up a few things for this evening and tomorrow morning." Booth pulled Brennan close to give her a hug, smiling suggestively.

Brennan returned his smile as she kissed him. "You're a very smart man, Booth."

oooooooooo

 _I give her all my love_

 _That's all I do._

 _...and I love her…._

Brennan was looking through a file as she walked into her office and sat down at her computer. She leafed through the papers, looking for the results of the tox screen, when she heard her visitor cough quietly.

"Good afternoon, Sweetie. Glad to see you finally made it to work today." Angela moved from the sofa to a chair in front of Brennan's desk. "So how were things yesterday?"

Brennan glared at her computer monitor. "Not good. I'm quite frustrated with the whole situation. All that time and energy, and nothing to show for it. What a waste of time! A total failure."

"Really? Because I thought…"

"Yes, really. It makes me angry that things are not working out the way I expected they would, and there's nothing I can do to fix it. I may just have to give up on the whole thing. It's quite aggravating, but I suppose it can't be helped."

'Oh Sweetie….I'm so sorry…"

"I just need to work...maybe if I focus, it will help me feel better about it." Brennan typed rapidly on her keyboard before glancing up at Angela. "Angela, what's wrong? You look like you're going to cry."

"Well, I just feel bad that things didn't work out better with Booth…that's too bad...he seems like such a great guy."

Brennan stared at Angela in surprise. "Booth? I wasn't talking about Booth. I was talking about our case. Why are you talking about Booth?"

"You spent all day with him yesterday...and probably last night, too. Aren't you going to tell me what happened?" Angela smiled eagerly. "I'm pretty sure you and Studly Do-Right got it on last night...and I want lots of details...you, know, a vicarious thrill. Come on, Brennan...spill."

Turning back to her computer, Brennan tried to remain calm, even though she knew she was blushing. "We brought home Chinese take out and spent the evening talking. Our relationship is going well, and I'm very satisfied with it."

"Satisfied? How satisfied?" Angela leaned back in her chair, watching Brennan closely. "You might as well tell me everything. I know an orgasm afterglow when I see it."

"I'm very, very, very satisfied…." Brennan allowed herself one nervous giggle and a shy smile. "However, I really can't talk about that right now. I have to get the DNA tests started, and I need to fax the tox screen results over to Booth. Our case is quite frustrating, and we need to move fast before our suspects jump the city."

"I think you mean skip town. Okay, I'll let this go for now, but we're gonna have lunch together tomorrow, and I expect to hear all about you and Booth together." Angela smirked as she stood up to leave. "It was worth it, wasn't it? Trusting him, and letting him know you love him? It was worth it…"

Brennan grinned broadly. "Yes, Angela...you were right. It was definitely worth it."

oooooooooo

 _She gives me everything,_

 _And tenderly._

… _.and I love her…_

Booth sat in the waiting room outside Director Cullen's office, nervously drumming his fingers on his knees as he ran through his speech in his mind again. _It's logical for Bones and me to work together...we have a great record together…we're professionals…._ Finally Cullen's secretary nodded toward the office door.

"Agent Booth? Director Cullen will see you now." Booth inhaled deeply and tried to look brave as he walked into the lion's den.

"Booth.", Cullen grunted without looking up from his paperwork. "Anything new on your little Janie Doe?"

"Well, sir, Dr. Brennan has arranged for her colleague Dr. Hodgins to assist the FBI in a search on the Delaware River for remains and other clues, but so far they haven't found anything useful."

"Who do you like for the perp?"

"I think it was the girl's mother, but we don't have enough evidence against her to make an arrest. I really think we're going to need a confession from her for the charges to stick."

"I see." Cullen looked up at Booth and pursed his lips, tapping his pen against his desk as he thought for a moment. "Why didn't you take Perotta to New Jersey with you yesterday, Booth?"

 _Shit...that was unexpected._ "Dr. Brennan had begun to work the case with me before Agent Perotta was assigned to me as my partner. I've worked with Dr. Brennan before, and I knew she'd be an asset on this case. I wasn't trying to keep Perotta out to the loop…"

"Oh, okay." A slight smile lifted the corner of Cullen's mouth. "That makes perfect sense. I thought there was another reason, like maybe the fact that you have an intimate relationship with Dr. Brennan. You're in love with her, right?"

 _Damn it! I can't believe this is happening…._ "Actually that was the main reason I wanted to talk to you this afternoon, sir...I'm sorry you had to find out this information second hand. Yes, Dr. Brennan and I are on intimate terms, and we are currently in a romantic relationship, but you know we're both professionals, sir, and I don't think it will affect our working relationship….Sir?"

Booth stood in shock as Director Cullen let go a belly laugh. "I didn't hear this from anybody second hand, Booth. Listen, I didn't get to be an FBI Director based solely on good looks and personality. I've gotta keep my eyes open, and I gotta know what my agents are doing. You haven't done a real good job of hiding your feelings for Dr. Brennan, Booth...I knew you were nuts about her when you came to my office that day with that crazy ass notion that you two should work together. What was it you said...oh, yeah…'she's amazing' and something about doing anything you could to work with her." Cullen leaned back in his chair, studying Booth. "I trust your judgment, Booth. If you think you can maintain your professional standards while working with Dr. Brennan, I'm okay with it. Perotta can work with Wilkens. But no gun for Dr. Brennan…"

"Yes, sir." Booth heaved a sigh of relief as he left Cullen's office. Things didn't go exactly as he'd expected, but the results were good. _Sounds like a lot of the cases we have…._

oooooooooo

 _Me and you, and you and me_

 _No matter how they tossed the dice,_

 _It had to be._

 _The only one for me is you,_

 _And you for me._

 _So happy together…._

Three days had gone by since Booth and Brennan had returned from their trip to New Jersey. Brennan was reaching for her phone to call Booth late that afternoon about the DNA results when she heard the familiar greeting at her door.

"Hiya, Bones." Booth came in and sat down by her desk. "Any news about our little Jane Doe?"

"Yes, actually I have lots of information for you. Angela ran a simulation on the Angelatron to see if we could get a better idea of what the skull might've looked like before it was damaged so severely. Based on the new information, Angela made another sketch of the victim, and we compared it to the photograph provided by Mrs. Sheehan. The new sketch looks very much like Bridget. The DNA results indicate that the skeleton in the lab was the offspring of Maureen Sheehan, and the tox screen Hodgins did on the bones came back positive for methamphetamines. Even though we don't have any dental records for comparison, I feel confident that our Jane Doe is actually Bridget Sheehan. It's her, Booth...maybe now we can find more evidence of what actually happened to her."

Booth sighed heavily. "Great. That's just great… Thanks, Bones. I'm glad you made the identification."

"What's wrong, Booth? I thought you'd be happy. We can go back to Gloucester City and talk to her mother…"

"No, we can't." Booth shook his head as he stared sadly at Brennan's desk. "I got a call from Detective Tonelli this afternoon. Maureen Sheehan and Sean Kelly are both dead."

"Dead! How did that happen? Booth…" Brennan was stunned. "I don't understand…"

"Tonelli went by the house this morning to ask them some more questions about Bridget and found their bodies. She thinks Maureen stabbed Sean to death while she was high on meth, and Maureen had been shot in the head...most likely Maureen committed suicide when she realized she had killed Sean. Tonelli said the meth in that area has caused some bad trips for a lot of users. I guess the crime scene was pretty gruesome...blood everywhere. Tonelli was pretty upset, and she's a 20 year veteran in the homicide division. She said she'd never seen anything like it."

"So that's it? We're never going to know what really happened to Bridget, are we?" Brennan brushed away a tear. "And poor Mrs. Sheehan...she's lost everything…"

Booth reached over to hold Brennan's hand. "I know it's upsetting to not be able to get the whole truth, Bones, but we tried...we did the best we could to get justice for that little girl."

"I know...but it's so sad." Her lip trembled a bit as she blinked back tears. "I'm sorry. I guess I should be more professional, but I keep thinking about that poor child."

"There's nothing to apologize for, Bones. It's okay to be sad about this case. We care about our work, and it's gonna happen that we get invested emotionally." He gave her a faint smile. "At least you're gonna get to be my partner permanently now. Perotta got assigned to that jackass Wilkens….she may never forgive me."

Brennan sighed as she shut down her computer. "It's getting late...I'm going to head for my apartment. Will you be able to come for dinner this evening?"

"Of course. I wouldn't miss spending some quality time with my favorite forensic anthropologist, but I've gotta make a stop first. You want me to pick something up?"

"No...I'm making macaroni and cheese tonight…"

"Wow...God's perfect food, and you're making it just for me? I'm a lucky guy." He walked behind Brennan's desk to give her a kiss. "I'll be there soon, okay?"

"Okay. I love you, Booth…."

"I love you, too, Bones…"

oooooooooo

 _A love like ours_

 _Could never die_

 _As long as I_

 _Have you near me…._

Brennan hummed to herself as she poured the macaroni in the boiling water and stirred the bubbling cheese sauce. She nodded, pleased with her choice. She'd long suspected that Booth was a fan of old fashioned home cooking based on his fond memories of his grandmother's meals. _Perhaps the old adage is right...the way to a man's heart is through his stomach._ She laughed to herself as she mixed the casserole together. _Booth decided he loved me before he knew whether or not I could cook...I wonder how demonstrative he'll be now that he knows I make wonderful macaroni and cheese..."_ As an anthropologist she knew that cooking a meal for someone was commonly accepted as being indicative of love and affection for the recipient...and she was looking forward to the love and affection she'd be receiving from him in return later that evening.

She put the casserole dish in the oven and went to change clothes, considering again how fortunate she was to have a man like Seeley Booth in her life. She hadn't done anything to deserve his love, but he had loved her anyway, changing her life for the better simply by being a part of it. She paused as she gazed at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She was extremely happy, and it showed in her sparkling eyes and wide smile. Being with Booth had made her giddy and irrational, and she didn't care a bit...all she knew was that she was thoroughly and illogically happy, and that she loved him with her whole heart.

Realizing how much Booth loved her, even after all of the trials and misunderstandings they'd had over the last few years, was truly amazing. _Perhaps if I believed in a Supreme Being, I'd thank him or her for a man like Booth….someone who loves me just like I am...who thinks I'm wonderful even with all my faults….I'm going to do whatever I can to keep Booth in my life...for the rest of my life._

oooooooooo

 _Bright are the stars that shine_

 _Dark is the sky._

 _I know this love of mine_

 _Will never die._

 _And I love her…._

Booth walked quietly into the nave of the darkened church. "Evening, Father Paul." He nodded to the priest as he moved past him toward one of the side altars.

"Seeley! How are you? I missed you on Christmas Eve…"

"Yeah...the weather was so bad, and I didn't want to get stuck somewhere because my son was coming to lunch on Christmas Day." _And I thought my life was going to hell…_

The priest nodded in sympathy, knowing there were probably other reasons for Booth's absence from the service. "Oh, I understand. It was practically a blizzard, wasn't it? I'm glad you got to see Parker over Christmas." The priest cocked his head and smiled as he talked to Booth. "You seem like you're doing a lot better, Seeley... like you're happier than you've been in months. Life's treating you well now?"

"Yes, Father...I've got a wonderful woman in my life now. She loves me, and she loves Parker. Life's great."

"That's excellent news. Well, take your time here...I'll come by and lock up later. Good night, Seeley."

"Thanks, Father. Good night."

Booth stood in the tiny chapel area that was set up in front of the side altar. A statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary smiled benevolently on one side, and a gentle St. Joseph holding the child Jesus stood on the other side. He paused, enjoying the quiet and serenity of the place, before walking over to the glowing candle stand. He blessed himself, and then began to pray silently. "It's me, Lord...it's Booth. Listen, I know you haven't heard from me lately, and I'm sorry about that. So many things have happened the last few weeks, and I've been really busy, but I wanted to thank you for sending Bones back to me….She doesn't believe in you, so I'm gonna believe for both of us, if that's okay with you."

He struck a match and lit one of the votive candles. "I'm lighting this first candle for Bridget Sheehan and her family, Lord, and I'm asking You for mercy on their souls...Bridget was an innocent child, and I know she's with you in Heaven, and you're taking good care of her." He struck a second match and smiled as he watched it burn a bit. "And this second candle is in honor of Our Lady of the Snows. Thank you, Holy Mary, Mother of God, for taking pity on this poor, sad, lonely man. Thank you for making my life so much better by allowing me to find Bones in the grocery store on that snowy Christmas Eve. Thank you, because I finally have a woman to love who truly loves me in return. And now, I promise to You that I'm going to love her for the rest of my life." He watched the candles burn a minute before brushing away a tear and quietly turning to walk away, knowing that he was truly a blessed man.

 _I can't see me lovin' nobody but you, for all my life…_

 _When you're with me, baby, the skies will be blue, for all my life…_

 _So happy together…_

 _And how is the weather?_

 _We're happy together….._

 _oooooooooo_

. _A/N: the story of Our Lady of the Snows is that an apparition of the Virgin Mary appeared to a couple in ancient Rome. She told them she wanted a church built on a hill that was covered with snow. In August a heavy snow fell and covered a hill, and a church was built there in her honor. It seemed appropriate for my story._

 _Thanks for reading and commenting on my story. It's been quite an adventure to get from what started out as a one shot story to here, but I've had fun writing it._


End file.
